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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26179705">I'm Here</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_not_the_queen/pseuds/im_not_the_queen'>im_not_the_queen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adam (Voltron) Lives, Aftermath of Torture, Allura is evil, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Black Paladin Lance (Voltron), But I brought back some other faves for you, Controversial opinion, Everyone Is Gay, Everyone is in this, Fix-It of Sorts, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Good Lotor (Voltron), Healing, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I hate Allura, I hate myself, I know we hate it when Allura stays dead, I'll add tags to individual chapters, Loss of Limbs, Lotor (Voltron) Lives, Lotor is attracted to everyone, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past James Griffin/Keith (Voltron), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Red Paladin Keith (Voltron), Slow Burn, Space Dad Adam (Voltron), Space Dad Shiro (Voltron), This is so insane, This is the length of your average novel, You could literally read this instead of watching season 8, season 8 hurt me, season 8 re-write</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:41:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>92,581</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26179705</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_not_the_queen/pseuds/im_not_the_queen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Paladins of Voltron have finally returned to Earth, but the war isn't over yet, and it's coming for them- closer to home than they expected. Allura battles with which side of the war she should truly be on, Shiro reconciles with someone he'd lost, Hunk and Pidge try to hold the team together as best as they can. And in the midst of the fighting, Keith and Lance are falling in love.<br/>COMPLETE (I don't understand how this site works and why it won't let me change the ? to a 20? Pls help?)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Lance (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Part One: Home ~ Chapter One: Zarkon is a Pretty Garbage Dad</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Part One covers season six starting from episode four, and most of season seven. I did try to write this so it was not necessary to be familiar with season eight in order to understand it, but I did lift most of the events that occur in this section from canon events.<br/>Chapter Tags: minor character death, mildly graphic depictions of violence I guess, black paladin Lance, surprisingly socially adept Keith, Quantum Abyss, pining Lance and I think that's it really</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Pidge was tired- so tired they felt it in their bones like their marrow had been replaced with lead. They were tired from Coran’s incessant showboating of the team, tired from their fight with the bounty hunter over Matt, and tired of listening to everyone whine about </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lotor</span>
  </em>
  <span> and </span>
  <em>
    <span>Keith</span>
  </em>
  <span> and </span>
  <em>
    <span>Zarkon</span>
  </em>
  <span> and </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything </span>
  </em>
  <span>as if their</span>
  <em>
    <span> dad’s life </span>
  </em>
  <span>wasn’t on the line. If this were Lance’s family they would have been trading by now. Pidge sighed, leaning over their tablet and letting their head drop onto the cool screen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Pidgey,” a heavy hand landed in their hair, and Pidge sat up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Matt,” they sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You ok?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m ok.” Pidge nodded, staring past Matt and out at the stars. “Just worried about dad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s tough. He’ll be ok, I promise,” Matt assured them. “You should get some sleep, bub. Big day tomorrow.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pidge was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>tired</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Despite their nerves, they were asleep the moment their head hit the pillow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning seemed brighter somehow, though it wasn’t really morning and it was impossible for the light to have changed in space. They made their way to the meeting point with trepidation- Pidge was vaguely aware of everyone talking and organizing in the background, but they all seemed far away. They weren’t really aware of anything until the dusty craters of the rendezvous planet came into view, sand stained pale and grey by the dim light of this solar systems’ dying sun. The dust of the barren planet floated up and around their helmet as they stepped onto the dry ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure this is the place?” Matt asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the place,” Shiro responded, frowning into the distance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So where is Zarkon?” Pidge demanded, but as the words left their lips, they saw a purple flash over the crest of a nearby hill. Zarkons cruiser came into view, hovering elegantly before landing a few hundred meters away. Slowly, the ship settled and sighed, and the bridge lowered, and Zarkon himself came into view. Pidge felt their throat clench.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Show me Lotor!” Zarkon demanded, voice low and dripping with scorn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Show us Commander Holt first!” Matt ordered, standing his ground. Pidge kept their mouth shut and tried not to scream. A figure stepped out from behind Zarkon, flanked by Lotor’s old generals. He was thin and seemed to be shaking with the effort of standing upright, but he was there- he was alive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad!” Pidge shouted, and Shiro grabbed their arm to keep them from bolting to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, where is Lotor?” Zarkon demanded, deadly calm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pidge heard the compartment Lotor was being held in open, but they didn’t bother turning around, keeping their eyes fixed on their fathers face. Commander Holt made his way down the bridge past Zarkon haltingly, looking down at his feet. Pidge watched quietly as the two men crossed paths between the two ships, Lotor, walking tall and proud- ever graceful, while Commander Holt shuffled along slowly, blinking dust from his eyes. Pidge clenched their teeth and tried to stay still, but couldn’t help it- they ran forward across the blue tinged sand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pidge!” Shiro called, and then everything happened all at once. The sound of a shot firing split the air, and Lotor cried out in rage and horror. Matt was upon them in a second, grabbing hold of Pidge and their dad, screaming in anger. Everyone was shouting and running and Sam Holt was falling forwards into Pidge’s arms, gasping and bleeding and </span>
  <em>
    <span>dying</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And Pidges world cracked open and fell to pieces. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lotor tried to block the shot, he really did. But he honestly wasn’t expecting Zarkon to do something so backhanded- to shoot an enemy from behind was simply not the Galra way. And this enemy was in no position to fight in the first place; he was old and weak and in chains and Lotor could hardly imagine how desperate one had to be to attempt such a thing. Anger settled like a leaden weight in his gut, and he looked over his shoulder to see the Holt children fall into their father with grief stricken faces. Shiro looked… oddly calm. Lotor turned again, and quickly calculated his opponents. Acxa was the weakest- not because she wasn’t a skilled fighter, but because she still </span>
  <em>
    <span>cared</span>
  </em>
  <span> so much about everyone. Lotor dove forward, willing the black bayard in his hand to become something that would slice through his handcuffs. Acxa lunged for him as his hands came free, but Ezor grabbed her, dragging her away towards the escape pod attached to Zarkon’s cruiser. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on Acxa- we can’t win this fight here!” Ezor hissed, sparing a quick backwards glance at Lotor before pulling the other woman away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lotor spared himself no time to think, leaping at Zarkon with his sword drawn and his forearm protecting his stomach and chest. The brittle ground exploded under the force of the hit, and in the background, amongst the dirt and dust, Lotor could hear Pidge wailing. Lotor found his footing easily, retracting the blade and standing his ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So the time has come,” Zarkon mused once the dust had settled, “This ends today.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lotor focused his energy into the bayard, feeling for something familiar. A broadsword- Galra made, wide and comfortable in his hand. Lotor bit his lip, glancing over at Shiro, who was trying to corral the Holt siblings into the ship, and surged forward. There was something off about Zarkon, he could feel it. Something strange in his breathing -it was laboured- and unbalanced in his step. And Lotor was tired of this. He was furious, actually, determined to finish the endless, pointless killing. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It </span>
  </em>
  <span>will</span>
  <em>
    <span> end today</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought, </span>
  <em>
    <span>for the Holts, for that missing Galra soldier they all care about so much. For Lance, the Cuban boy who just wanted to go home, and Hunk, the boy who wanted to be a chef or an engineer, not a warrior. For Coran and Allura and their people- </span>
  </em>
  <span>his</span>
  <em>
    <span> people</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His blade collided with Zarkon’s in a whirl of electricity; Lotor held his ground, and breathed. He breathed, and he focused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lotor didn’t register Shiro finally gathering Pidge, Matt and the body of Commander Holt into their cruiser- didn't register as they took off into the sky. He was pure concentration, pure will. He knew the three lions still on the castle ship must be on their way, but he was busy whirling in the dust and the electricity and the hum of Zarkons armour. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want the throne? Even with the power of the Black Bayard, you’re too weak!” Zarkon told him as they faced each other, waiting for the dust to settle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll always be weak. You have Altean blood running through your veins- poisoning your very being! Finally, my darkest shame can be wiped from the universe forever!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lotor scoffed, anger bubbling under his skin, “You speak to me of weakness? You have become no more than another of the witch’s monsters! Does she control you as well? Tell me, what does it feel like to grow weaker, and weaker? Does the memory of power haunt you? Is that why you strive for Voltron so? Without that Lion, you’re nothing! You are a senseless, loveless, hopeless creature with no soul and no purpose in the universe any longer!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lotor steeled himself as the quintessence stored in Zarkons armour drained away, lighting him up a sickly purple hue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want to see my power?” He roared, and Lotor set his stance. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind him, the Yellow, Red, Blue and Black Lions of Voltron settled into the dust. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s mine!” Lotor yelled, and the world became focus and dust and electricity once more. It could have been years later that Lotor’s back finally collided with an exposed bit of sandstone, the force of the blow wrenching through his already battered body and knocking the breath out of his lungs, pain rippling through him. He lifted his head and saw the Black Bayard laying on the ground a few meters away, but searing pain through his ribcage prevented him from going to it. The ground shuddered as Zarkon’s feet landed on either side of the bayard, and Lotor held his breath as the Galran Emperor took the weapon into his hands and stood up. The Lions had taken off  at some point, and Lotor could imagine the frantic conversation they were having. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“What do we do- should we help? How can we help?”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Zarkon aimed his cannon at Lotor, who coughed to clear the dust from his throat and croaked “Your fleet has been destroyed.” He bit back a yelp of pain as he lifted his head to meet Zarkons lifeless gaze. “It’s over.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s over for you,” Zarkon told him, aiming his cannon. The world exploded. Lotor -in the haze of pain and rocks and dust- managed to smile. The Lions had started to open fire. The next moment, a bright purple light was glowing behind Lotor’s eyelids, and before he could think, he was scrambling forward, cursing at the man who had once been his father as he plunged his blade through his chest. Lotor stood, waiting patiently for the weapon in Zarkons hands to retract and the light to die out of his eyes. He allowed himself one moment to hang his head, to let the grief rush through him, and turned to face the four lions arranged behind him. As he looked, the golden moon of this strange planet crept out from behind the clouds, spilling warm light over Lotor’s face. He set his jaw and stared the paladins of Voltron down. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Now, you must believe that I am on your side</span>
  </em>
  <span>.    </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pidge was handling themselves quite well in light of their father’s death. They kept busy with their brother, programming and designing and downloading, trying to come up with ways to power machinery as powerful as the Castle without using Altean magic. To the outside eye, they seemed fine, but Shiro could tell that they were walking a razor’s edge between a safe, normal grieving process and falling into a kind of manic desperation. Shiro himself was feeling a bit strange these days- migraine headaches the likes of which he hadn’t experienced in years began plaguing him and night, and more than once Lance caught him staring off into the distance and had to nudge Shiro with an elbow or a hand on his shoulder to bring him back into the room. Shiro could never remember what he’d been thinking about. Lance was really coming into his own these days- providing a shoulder for Pidge and Matt to cry on when they needed it (Shiro had found both Holt siblings in the longue, sleeping on either side of the lanky Cuban boy in the middle of the night one night. Lance had simply shook his head and shrugged, patting both blondes on the head and settling back against the couch), and managing Coran’s erratic behaviour with surprising dexterity for someone so young. It was only when the subject of Allura and Lotors blossoming relationship came up that Lance fell apart- retreating to the training room to sulk. In these moments, he reminded Shiro of Keith. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>One evening, Shiro was headed to the kitchen to find out where Hunk had put the painkillers for another splitting headache when he saw Lance leaving the training room for what had to be the third time that day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance,” Shiro said sharply, suddenly annoyed. “You’re killing yourself, kid. We need you in top shape- not wearing yourself out on useless training.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance flinched. “It’s not useless! I’m getting myself in top shape. I thought you’d be happy.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re useless to us if you’re exhausted,” Shiro snapped. He knew he was being unnecessarily cruel, but couldn’t bring himself to stop. His head felt like it was splitting open and the last thing he wanted to do right now was babysit Lance McClain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, Shiro,” Lance grumbled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen. We’re all going through it right now- I get that. But hiding from your feelings is pointless. You need to confront the issue, and decide if it’s really worth all the energy you’re expending on it!” Shiro instructed, and to his surprise, Lance just… deflated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just… I feel like nobody needs me anymore,” Lance admitted, “Allura has Lotor now and they’ve bonded way faster than her and I ever did, and Hunk has Shay now. And now that Pidge has their brother back-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Holts have been leaning on you more than anyone lately, Lance,” Shiro sighed, “You’ve been a real lifeline for them.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know but I can’t- I don’t understand what they’re going from. Sure I can listen, but I can’t help.” Lance leaned against the wall, “I wish Keith was here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro felt a jolt of nausea wash through him. Keith. He’d promised the kid that he wouldn’t let anything happen to him- he’d promised Adam- he’d made so many promises. He hadn’t kept any of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too, Lance,” He said, patting the Reds’ paladin's shoulder. “He’ll come home soon. He has to.”   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Hunk’s body </span>
  <em>
    <span>still</span>
  </em>
  <span> hurt from his day of training with Lotor’s old ‘nanny’. Admittedly, training with Lance for several extra hours every day just to keep his hyperactive friend sane wasn’t helping, either, but still. There was no way he should still be sore. When the alarms started sounding in the control room after Allura and Lotor left on their weird little mission, Hunk couldn’t help but groan: was one day off too much to ask for? </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“That… that can’t be,” Coran exclaimed, pulling the image of the incoming vessel up onto the screen. “It’s an Altean pod! A really old one!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t any Altean pod be considered ‘really old’?” Hunk grumbled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s it doing way out here?” Lance wondered, staring at the screen. Hunk looked over at his best friend- Lance’s under eyes were puffy and purple, and there was a strained line in his jaw. Hunk wondered if he looked just as bad. Probably.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s find out,” Shiro said grimly, “Altean pod, identify yourself!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The image flipped, and Keith’s face appeared on the screen. He was thinner- the line of his jaw sharper, hair longer and somehow messier. His eyes were older.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shiro! It’s Keith.” There was only intensity in his expression- nothing that would give them a clue as to where the hell he’d been for the last seven weeks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith! Are you ok?” Shiro stammered, leaning forward in disbelief, studying Keith’s image. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where have you been!” Pidge demanded, their eyes wide and desperate. Hunk thought Pidge might have missed Keith the most out of all of them, bizarrely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you get your hands on that pod?” Coran demanded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hunk stole a glance at Lance, whose expression was still frozen in shock. He looked… almost more desperate than Pidge, which was strange, because he had consistently asserted that he was ‘not worried’ about Keith and ‘only missed making fun of the mullet’. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does he look bigger to you guys?” Lance blurted, expression changing from shock to mild surprise and then into something Hunk recognized. He grinned to himself. He knew that look- it was the same one Lance had worn the first time he’d seen Keith at the Garrison, and the first time they’d met Allura. It meant he was falling. Hard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s bigger, right? No?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is Lotor?” Keith demanded, hands tightening on the controls of his ancient ship. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s in the quintessence field,” Hunk explained. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please don’t bring bad news, please don’t bring bad news</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, fucking- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Quiznak</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Keith spat, and Hunk narrowed his eyes. Lance was right, he was bigger. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“These readings are unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” Lotor exclaimed, staring down at his monitor. With careful, sustainable extraction, this quintessence could power the Galra empire the way the Balmora had powered the Alteans for decaphoebes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In the wrong hands, this power could easily corrupt,” Lotor said to Allura, staring at the bright light around them. “It could be used to change the very course of reality- of all realities.” The thought of it turned his stomach, really. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll have to make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands then,” Allura said in a strange voice. She’d been acting oddly ever since they had uncovered the secrets of Altean alchemy. Lotor had never expected to be privy to the information himself, only wanted to find out if Allura could alter quintessence. The fact that they both could- it opened up possibilities that Lotor could scarcely begin to imagine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can continue my father’s work…” Allura whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s collect some samples,” Lotor suggested, aware that if they stayed too long, it might be difficult to tear themselves away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The paladins were waiting in the hangar when Keith landed his new/old ship on the Castle of Lions. Romelle was looking around frantically in wild fascination, but Krolia kept her head down. The wolf whined as Keith shut the machine down and opened the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys wait here a moment,” Keith told them, opening the hatch and swinging out of the pod and onto the ground. The familiar sterile scent of the Castle overwhelmed him, and he almost dropped to his knees in his too-small armour to kiss the ground. The first face he caught sight of was Pidge, who honestly looked wrecked. But he’d talk to them later. Now Shiro was lunging forwards, familiar brown eyes wide and shocked, eyebrows raised. Keith wanted nothing more than for the older man to grab him by the shoulders and shake him- to demand to know where he’d been, to check his bruises and cuts and hold him until he no longer felt like he might crumble to bits any second, but all his self-proclaimed brother said was, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith! It’s so good to see you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he saw Lance. Lance, with his stupid turned-up nose and his laugh lines caused by that shit-eating grin. Keith hated that he’d missed him, but you couldn’t help but like Lance; he was charismatic and ridiculous and </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold on! How do we know that’s Keith and not his bigger, cooler, grizzled older brother?” Lance demanded, walking towards Keith determinedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s me, Lance,” Keith said, shoving Lance’s finger out of his face, “Because you’re still eight years worth of irritating.” </span>
</p><p><span>“Eight?” Pidge was staring at Keith while Hunk did some finger counting. </span><em><span>Pidge</span></em><span>. Keith wanted to grab them and just... hang </span><em><span>the</span></em> <em><span>fuck</span></em><span> on.   </span></p><p>
  <span>“Hey, everybody! Keith’s back!” Lance called, spreading his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll hug you later, Lance, if that’s what you’re waiting for. Right now, I need to know when Lotor will be back.” Keith responded, trying not to reveal how badly he wanted to turn around and crush Reds’ new paladin into the longest, tightest hug of his life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you wanna see Lotor so badly,” Lance asked, and though Keith had walked past him, he could hear the pout in his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because Altean lives are in danger and we need to know why!” Romelle called from behind him. Keith rolled his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re- you’re Altean!” Coran gasped as the Votron team turned to stare at Romelle, Krolia and the wolf. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s the Galran?” Lance asked, and Keith lifted one hand to massage his temples. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that a wolf?” Hunk asked, and Keith lowered his hand, stifling a grin. He’d missed Hunks ‘incredulous’ face. He’d missed all of their faces, really. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where did you come from?” Coran demanded, voice cracking slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promise I’ll explain everything later, just, how do we get to Lotor?” Keith insisted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t get to him,” Pidge said, stepping closer to Keith, “he just entered the quintessence field with Allura.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith growled, “We need answers!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is wrong with you?” Lance asked, walking to stand beside Keith. He was only an inch or so taller than Keith was now, Keith noticed with some degree of satisfaction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s going on, Keith?” Hunk asked, voice low and calming. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone, relax,” Shiro put in, “When they return, we’ll get this all sorted out.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith forced himself to exhale, relaxing his shoulders and glancing over at his mother and Romelle. The wolf whined again and Keith bit his lip, rubbing the back of his neck nervously with his hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance is right, though, Keith, you’ve changed,” Shiro said, putting a hand on Keith’s shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Time is… different where I’ve been.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Krolia and Romelle walked over to join the group. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shiro, I’m Krolia,” his mother said, extending her hand and gripping Shiro’s elbow. A pained expression flitted across his surrogate brother’s face as he shook hands with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith has told me all about you,” she said, and Keith rolled his eyes again, feeling blood rush to his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, for raising him to be the man he is today,” Krolia said solemnly. Shiro stared back and forth between her and Keith. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Krolia is with the Blade of Marmora,” Keith explained. The weight of the other’s eyes on him burned into his skin, and he looked away. “Also, she’s my mother.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro’s eyes narrowed again, and then a small smile broke through the distant expression he’d been wearing, “It’s an honour to meet you,” he said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? This is nuts!” Lance leapt between Krolia and Shiro, and Keith fought the urge to punch the other boy in his stupid upturned nose. He’d missed him, he’d seen him, now he was ready for another two year break. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You come back with your Galra mom, a wolf </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> an Altean?” he gestured at their little party, and Keith shrugged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I’m still waiting to hear the story of this Altean,” Coran interrupted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why you need to see Lotor so badly!” Hunk put in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is Romelle,” Keith said, gesturing the girl forwards with an assuring hand on her elbow. “I think she should tell her own story.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I come from a planet where there are thousands of Alteans,” Romelle began, her eyes downcast shyly. “We’ve lived there since the war with Zarkon began.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Coran stared at her, the lines on his forehead deepening in confusion, “What? That’s impossible, Altea was destroyed. Allura and I were the only survivors.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Every Altean child knows the story of how Lotor saved us from destruction,” Romelle said in her clear, gentle voice, “When Zarkon attacked, many were off-planet on trading expeditions or for other business. When our people found out about the genocide that Zarkon had attempted, we went into hiding. But Lotor had deep knowledge of our culture, and he was able to track some of us down. He wanted to preserve our customs and traditions, and he promised a safe haven where the Galra would never find us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To keep us safe, he hid the remaining Alteans in a remote planet beyond the quantum abyss.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Coran gasped, “So Lotor saved the Alteans?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Man,” Hunk said cheerfully, “Lotor is even nicer than we thought!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe,” said Keith, glancing over at Romelle, “But maybe not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Three months ago, a ship crashed through our atmosphere,” Romelle said in a small voice, and Keith squeezed her arm. “That doesn’t happen New Altea. Lotor sends automated pods with our coordinates programmed into them to carry food and supplies, and they always find their mark… This one didn’t,” Romelle broke off, taking a deep, wavering breath. Keith wrapped his arm around her shoulders and rubbed small circles into her bicep. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Romelle found a probe on board the ship,” Keith continued the story. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was going out to meet a friend late at night -sneaking out I suppose- and that’s when the pod crashed. Before I could catch it, the probe escaped, but I saw the Galra empire insignia on it, and I knew we’d been found,” Romelle looked around fiercely at the paladins, “I tried to tell the other Alteans! I really did! But they wouldn’t listen to me- and then… my brother went missing. I knew the probe had something to do with it, but still, nobody would listen to me. They said he was lost, or hiding, but our planet is not large, and Bandor cannot sail across the seas or climb the mountain passes. He couldn’t have gotten far.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Besides that, other young, strong Alteans from other communities were reported missing around the same time, but I had no proof, and without Lotor telling them, how could the Galra have found us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We think whoever programmed the probe must have designed it to start… harvesting quintessence from New Altea- everything there is full of Altean magic, and is a rich source of quintessence. It doesn’t explain the missing children, but it does explain the pure strains of quintessence that are starting to appear in the Galra’s weapons,” Krolia explained in her low, commanding voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need to know how Haggar found the colony- if Lotor sold them out to her, or if- somehow, she’s spying on him.” Keith gave Romelle’s shoulder a final squeeze and let go.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We found the pure strain of quintessence that had only recently begun to be used in the Galra’s weapons around the time Romelle saw the probe- around the same time Lotor ascended the throne in Zarkon’s illness,” Keith explained, “But Romelle said that Lotor never used the Galra Empire symbol on any of their deliveries, and why would he send a probe to a planet he has already explored every inch of.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t believe Lotor had anything to do with it!” Romelle insisted, “If he wanted to take the children someplace, he could have simply asked- we would have gone, no questions asked.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Quiznak I hope he had nothing to do with it</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Keith thought, taking in Coran’s devastated expression.   </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then,” Krolia continued, “We found a base on a nearby moon- it was empty, but it was full of equipment built by the Galra Empire. We couldn’t quite decipher what they were building. Part of it had cryopods similar to your healing pods, but a little more advanced. They seemed to be making considerably advanced prosthetics as well, or at least, the chips they place in Galra prosthetics to access the nervous system… and there was a training facility.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Galra are building an army,” Romelle told them fiercely, “I’m sure of it! That’s the only explanation- and they’re going to use chipped Alteans as soldiers!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe… how could this happen?” Pidge gasped, head hanging defeatedly. “The Galra has taken everything from us- how could they destroy this, too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need to find out what Lotor knows,” Keith insisted, trying not to look at Shiro’s blank face, Coran’s teary eyes, or Pidge’s defeated expression. “He could have been spied upon- if someone close to him was implanted with one of Haggar’s nerve-control chips, then she would have seen how to get to the Altean colony. Or he could be a monster.” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. This Is Taking Sibling In-Fighting Too Far</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I usually format at least a little bit on here but this thing is so damn long I honestly just can't be bothered. If there's a problem with anything please let me know.<br/>Chapter Tags: Mild PTSD, mildly graphic depictions of violence</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lotor and Allura guided their ship smoothly into the hangar, and Lotor helped the princess onto the platform, steadying her as she tumbled out of the cockpit. He took her small hand in his own, holding it against his chest. Her clever eyes were alight with the discovery they had made, and Lotor smiled down at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We accomplished something amazing today,” Lotor told her, “And it would have never happened if not for you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Allura looked down, a soft smile spreading over her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was a moment I truly will never forget,” Allura said, her incandescent eyes meeting his. Lotor pulled her closer, leaning down to kiss her carefully, like she might run away. He wasn’t convinced she wouldn’t- but she responded eagerly, melting into him like she belonged there in his arms. They walked hand-in-hand onto the bridge, only to be faced with the hardened faces of Coran and the paladins. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s going on?” Lotor asked, and then the missing boy and another Galra were behind them, weapons drawn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have some explaining to do,” The missing soldier -though Lotor supposed since he wasn’t missing anymore it might be time to learn his name- said firmly, and Lance drew his weapon as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allura, step away from Lotor!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will do no such thing until you all tell me what’s going on!” Allura cried, leaping between Lotor and the Reds’ paladin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lotor!” a soft voice intoned from Lotor’s left. He turned to see another Altean standing by the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” If she was here, the chances of Haggar knowing about the colony were exponentially higher than Lotor had thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! You can’t be near me- Haggar might-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She found us, Lotor,” The girl said, and Lotor wracked his memory for her name. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Roselle?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Romelle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lotor shook his head, “I’m sorry. But could you please tell me what the- how do you say it, Pidge? What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span> is going on here!”  His mind was whirring, how long would it take to get to the hidden planet, how could he safely evacuate the Alteans. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“An Altean?” Allura gasped, turning to stare at Lotor in shock. “You- you knew? And you didn’t tell me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haggar has spied on me before- I didn’t want to endanger them in case she-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Found our colony and began stealing our children to build her army and our magic to make quintessence?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lotor’s heart dropped into his feet, and a wave of nausea coarse through him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lotor felt his knees give out, but couldn’t manage to do anything to stop it. He felt Allura’s small hand on his shoulders from a great distance, and then the alarm started blaring.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have to get to the colony- if Haggar has found them, all of their lives are in danger. We must reach them before she does, and evacuate,” Lotor managed to cry over the sound of the alarm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Lotor’s- Haggar’s- the half Galra generals! They’ve breached the hangar! They’re stealing the ships!” Hunk cried in panic. Lotor barely registered it, but he did hear the ear splitting scream that came from Shiro seconds later. The other man dropped to the floor, gripping his head in his hands, and Lotor knew with horrifying certainty what had happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She saw me through Shiro,” He gasped, “One evening he walked into my room while I was sending supplies to the colony through an automatically manned pod. He saw the coordinates so she-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sent a probe to follow the trail,” Pidge murmured in a low, stunned voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone get down the hangar- Allura and I will stay with Lotor and Shiro!” Lance ordered. “You too, Keith. You’re our best bet in hand-to-hand combat right now.” The paladins ran out of the room before Lotor could warn them not to, and as Shiro finally stopped screaming, he rose to his feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay behind me,” he managed to tell Allura before Shiro sent Lance flying with one strike of his mechanical arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro charged at Lotor, and they scuffled briefly. Lotor was an excellent warrior- he’d had thousands of years to become as good as he was, and faced many worse opponents than a human with a prosthetic arm, but his attention was torn between protecting the two paladins, and eventually, Shiro landed a harsh blow across his right temple. His vision went blurry, and the last thing he heard before he hit the ground was Allura screaming. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Get to your Lions!” Hunk was yelling when Allura and Lance stumbled into the hangar where Lotors' ships had been. Allura immediately turned and bolted down the hall, followed by Pidge and Hunk. Keith watched Lance take in the scene. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guys- wait!” Lance shouted, but they were already gone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s going to fly the Black Lion?” Lance wondered aloud, and Keith managed a small smile. A tugging feeling in his gut told him he was right about this- that this was how it was supposed to be all along. He called for the Black bayard, searching through space for it and begging it to come to him. He felt it materialize in his hand, the cool metal fitting to his skin so familiarly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are,” he said, holding it out to Lance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance stared at him blankly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re kidding right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance, you’re meant to lead this team, I can feel it. The Black Lion is calling for you- he knows it’s time for you to step up. And so do I.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance's cerulean eyes were blown impossibly wide, and his face was flushed. Keith extended the Black bayard towards him instantly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I trust you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about Red?” Lance asked, taking the bayard delicately. “What about you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith smirked slightly, “Well, you’re gonna </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> a right hand man.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance’s whole being lit up, his spine straightening, his face determined and firm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s do this.” He nodded, and took off towards the Black’s hangar. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You guys help me with Zethrid, Ezor and Acxa- Keith, see if you can talk to Shiro- he listens to you!” Lance ordered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance?” Pidge, Allura and Hunk gasped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Copy that, team leader,” Keith said teasingly, taking off after Shiro’s pod. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shiro, it’s me, Keith! Shiro- It’s gonna be ok, alright? We just have to-” Keith broke off, feeling something tighten in his throat as Shiro’s audio cut out, blocking him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith!” Pidge yelped into his radio.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t hold them-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith, come back- I’m sorry but Shiro will have to wait! We’re no match for them in our Lions!” Lance called. “Form Voltron!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the dire circumstance, Keith could hear a hint of giddy excitement in his voice, and warmth filled his chest as Red’s consciousness melded with the others. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This</span>
  </em>
  <span>... this felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance knew that Voltron was a powerful machine, but flying it from the head was a whole new experience. Everything felt expansive- limitless, and he was more connected to the other paladins than ever before. The Blacks’ controls were unfamiliar in his hands, but his guidance was patient and sure, and Lance felt oddly comfortable here in the large seat. That is, until the beams from Lotor’s ships converged and pinned them against a large asteroid. The pressure was nearly unbearable, and Lance could hear Keith and Pidge panting with the effort of holding their shield. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re headed your way!” Coran’s voice crackled through the monitor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Keith and Lance chorused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Castle barely survived the last time we took on </span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> of those ships!” Lance explained, gritting his teeth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance is right!” Allura gasped, “The Castles defences will never hold!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t take much more of this, though!” Pidge snapped, their voice strained and breathing laboured. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you guys have any ideas?” Hunk demanded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance took a deep breath and held his position. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Patience yields focus</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Coran, fire just below our position,” he ordered, squinting into the blinding purple light. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Coran gasped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Destroy the rock we’re pinned against! Hurry!” Lance cried; the pressure was mounting, and Lance could -somehow- feel Keith and Pidge weakening. There was a shrieking noise, and the rock exploded into shards and fire. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith, Pidge, cover!” Lance ordered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does anyone have eyes on Shiro?” Keith asked, his voice was calm, but Lance could feel the frantic energy he was exuding through the Lions. Lance opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off by the wrenching feeling of another blast hitting them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We- we’re pinned on three sides!” Hunk grunted, and they flew through the air and smashed into another asteroid, the force of the collision causing them all to grunt in pain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh… What just happened?” Allura groaned, but Lance was busy staring at the swirling purple expanse of space that had just opened in front of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that-” Hunk stammered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A wormhole!” Pidge confirmed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re trying to escape,” Keith said sharply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haggar,” Allura said grimly, “It has to be Haggar. She must have gained the ability!” Allura’s voice broke halfway through the word, and dread clenched in Lance’s stomach. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t worry about that now, we need to get Shiro back,” Keith insisted, and Lance shook his head, pulling himself together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Shiro’s not Shiro anymore,” Hunk said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, but I… Something’s wrong with him. It has to be the witch,” Keith said firmly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know Shiro would never give up on any of us. We can’t give up on him,” Lance put in. He felt rather than heard the agreement of the other paladins, and a surge of determination flowed through him. Voltron stood. They blasted through the air, dodging asteroids as masterfully as they ever had. Lance felt fully in control for the first time since he’d begun piloting Red. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guys, one of my thrusters is down,” he noticed, “Can we compensate?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The beam torched our power core. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Pidge replied grimly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve got </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe</span>
  </em>
  <span> thirty ticks of overclock burn time,” Hunk told him tentatively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>go</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were moving so fast that Lance could taste his stomach in his throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re halfway through our burn time!” Hunk told him, and Shiro’s pod disappeared through the shrinking wormhole. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twenty-five percent!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ezor and Zethrid’s ships were gone, the space around them glittering a sick, purple version of their own wormholes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eight percent!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Acxa was gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not going to make it!” Lance realized. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re too heavy!” Pidge grunted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance we have to disband!” Keith pleaded, “The energy might be enough to propel me or you through the wormhole- we’re fastest.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance considered this for a second. He knew Keith could make it through the wormhole, but they’d just got him back- Lance couldn’t bear the idea of losing him again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll be the only one on the other side!” Allura cried as the wormhole shrank ever smaller.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance, please!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Disband!” He ordered. “Now!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance watched, sweat dripping down his brow, as the Red Lion hurtled towards the wormhole and disappeared just as the void closed, winking out like a strange violet star. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You’d better come back, Keith. You have to</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The wormhole ended up popping out in the middle of the largest fleet of Galra ships Keith had seen yet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, kay,” He stammered aloud, “We’d better play this smart, Red.” He grit his teeth and flew, the easy maneuverability of Red’s smaller body familiar and welcome under his control. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Missed you, girl,” he murmured, and swore he felt the Lion grumble contentedly. Keith exhaled forcefully and concentrated on dodging Axca’s attacks. When the Altean pod finally exited the cruiser, Keith was ready, and right on its tail. He brought up a video line to Shiro, talking desperately to him, begging him to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shiro</span>
  </em>
  <span> again. The pod led him to a small planet that reminded him a bit of Earth’s moon, and his stomach clenched as he touched down. He followed Shiro’s footsteps from the pod to a strange looking base in a nearby cave. It didn’t seem to be one of the standard military ones the Galra usually favoured- it was small, and security (as Keith found out when he touched the door pad to attempt forcing entry) was so lax that the door simply fell open, allowing Keith inside. It was a laboratory, Keith realized, as he stood in the elevator with it’s sterile aluminum metal walls and flickering white light. It was a laboratory, and they were manufacturing-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nerve chips,” Keith muttered, his suspicions confirmed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Keith,” a voice said, grating through him uncomfortably. It was Shiro, but wrong- tuned to a different key. He knew this, he realized. He already knew how this would go- had seen it happen two different ways in the abyss. He was either going to die today, or Shiro was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shiro, it’s going to be ok,” Keith insisted, mind whirring. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Me or him, me or him, him? Or me?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Shiro said simply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We just have to go back to the Castle-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not going anywhere.” Shiro broke into a run, and Keith brought up his shield. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Patience yields focus</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He dove out of the way at the last second, and as Shiro’s hand crashed into the metal wall, Keith ran. Shiro knocked him off the floor and down through the complex maze of levels in the bunker, sent him tumbling down staircases, all while glaring and snarling at him through the only face that Keith had really trusted for the last ten years. Keith was distracted for a moment by the hint of a smile on Shiro’s face as they sparred back and forth, Shiro’s blade emitting a dangerous electrical whirr that meant it was a laser of some variety. His hesitation allowed Shiro to land a brutal uppercut, knocking Keith’s helmet from his head and sending a wave of pain through his jaw as his teeth clacked together. He was lucky he hadn’t bit his tongue. Keith stumbled, and they fell, careening through the air, Shiro’s arms like a vise around his waist. They hit a set of metal lines stretching through the air, and Keith hooked his elbow over one, allowing himself to swing back as Shiro tumbled to the deck below. While the other man stood, Keith used his momentum to hurtle himself through the air, landing squarely in the center of Shiro’s chest. The look of shock on his brother’s face tore through him like a knife, and Keith held back a sob. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lunged, pinning Shiro against the railing of yet another level of the lab, and watched in horror as his friend's face split into a smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the Keith I remember,” Shiro smirked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Could he- did he really remember? Keith hesitated, and too late, remembered the vision from the abyss. Shiro forced him back, knocking his blade out of his hand and forcing him to stumble down the deck. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This is the version where I die</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Keith thought bitterly, throwing himself into a dive roll and snatching the blade from the deck. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I wish I’d gotten the chance to tell my mother I loved her. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The force of Shiro’s next blow sent him flying into a nearby tower, blade slicing through one of the metal supports. Keith ducked out of the way as the structure crashed down with a grinding screech between him and Shiro. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>  “Shiro, I know you’re in there,” Keith panted, “You made me a promise once. You told me you’d never give up on me.” Keith could see the disturbing purple glow in Shiro’s eyes through the net of the metal tower. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should have abandoned you, just like your parents did!” Shiro replied, prosthetic arm sparking with electricity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They saw that you were broken. Worthless.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The words hurt more than any of the injuries Shiro had inflicted did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should have seen it, too.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not leaving here without you,” Keith told him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually,” Shiro sighed, something twisted and cruel flickering in his eyes, “Neither of us are leaving.” </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ah</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Keith remembered as a red glow began creeping up the power bars of the strange cannon-like structure behind them. The red light flickered through Shiro's arm, and he screamed, throwing his hand up into the air before collapsing to the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shiro!” Keith cried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro was almost whimpering, and Keith wanted to vomit. A beam of electricity was shooting from the palm of his hand, through the metal floor, and Keith threw himself out of the way just in time. Part of the rocky cave wall fell away and in the midst of the red light and the dust and the chaos, Shiro was standing, artificial veins glowing lilacwhite in his shoulder.  Shiro aimed his lazer at Keith once again, and Keith flung himself off the end of the deck to avoid it, hurtling into nothingness. His feet hit metal, and he tucked and rolled, only to see Shiro standing with his arm outstretched towards him, prepared to blast him into tiny pieces once and for all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith just ran. Then he was airborne, tumbling through space and onto the base of the satellite extending from the side of the planet, hanging above the void. He grabbed the edge and rolled himself onto his back, allowing himself a few moments to blink back tears and catch his breath before he looked around for his blade. It was just under a meter from him, to the left, and Keith rolled over again, crawling towards it, pain coursing through his veins instead of blood. He reached for the blade, but the shaking in his hands and the blackness threatening to flood his vision stopped him, and he collapsed onto his stomach. He felt the heavy weight of Shiro’s feet hit the metal satellite in front of him, heard the hiss of his blade extending. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Patience. Yields. Focus</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith waited. As the blade swished towards him, he rolled, bracing himself for the inevitable burning pain as he stopped the weapon with his own, bracing his sword arm with his other.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shiro, please,” he begged, voice cracking, “You’re my brother… I-” If he was going to die, he might as well say it, right? Even though he’d really never said it before, and the person who was going to hear it was about to kill him? He didn’t get to tell his mother, so he should tell the man who raised him, at least. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment, Shiro stopped, eyes widening, and a flicker of hope kindled like a match in Keith’s chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just let go, Keith,” Shiro said, face collapsing back into a snarl. “You don’t have to fight anymore. By now the team’s already gone. I saw to it myself.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith stared up at him through the purple glow of the blade and suddenly, he saw another way out. He let go of his sword arm, calling for his bayard, and held back a scream as Shiro’s blade cut into his cheek, jaw and shoulder, sizzling and instantly cauterizing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   He twisted his wrist painfully, and wrenched the blade of the bayard’s broadsword form through the metal of Shiro’s Galra tech arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro screamed, stumbling back, electricity pulsing around the stump of his shoulder, and Keith rose to his feet, swords heavy in each hand. The stars were everywhere. The planet was falling apart around them, wind created by rocks rushing past lifting Keith’s sweaty bangs from his forehead. His throat was full of glass and he watched as Shiro collapsed to his knees. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith?” Shiro croaked, just barely lifting his head. Then the cannon above them exploded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> Keith had grabbed hold of Shiro’s wrist before he even felt himself falling- his first instinct driving him to </span>
  <em>
    <span>stick together</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He thought his shoulder might dislocate as they dangled from the edge of the satellite, which was swinging from two cords over the vast expanse of moon dust and stars. Keith tried to pull his other arm up to grab hold of his blade, maybe sling Shiro over his shoulder, maybe get them both home. The blade -sharp as it was- carved through the metal, dropping them further towards the edge of the satellite plate. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Keith thought, staring down at Shiro. He remembered him as he’d been when they first met- young and full of ideas, standing at the front of Keith’s classroom presenting him with a chance at life. A chance at actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>living</span>
  </em>
  <span>, not just surviving. Dancing with Adam in his kitchen while Keith made dinner despite the fact that he was supposed to be the guest (that kitchen had always been more his than theirs anyways, hopeless cooks that they were). His smiling face when Keith had finally come out to him (he had to have known), telling him how proud he was. Shiro, teasing him mercilessly about every stupid crush and dumb mistake, offering a shoulder to cry on when the mistakes seemed impossible to fix. Shiro, teaching him to ride a motorbike, defending him against all the people at the Garrison who didn’t think he belonged there- even himself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll never give up on you. But more importantly, you can’t give up on yourself.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Keith didn’t hear the second blast, just felt the pressure release as the disk detached and they fell, white light creeping over Shiro’s face as they hurtled towards the planet’s white hot core; he looked like he was almost smiling. Keith closed his eyes and waited to burn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance wasn’t sure where he was going- or how Black was getting there, but he could feel Red calling to him, and Black had practically broken down the door out of his hangar roaring for Lance a few minutes earlier. Now they were hurtling through space, following Red and something else. Lance was barely steering. Black saw Keith and Shiro before Lance did, and dove towards the crumbling centre of the planet with Red in tow, opening his jaws and snatching up the two men. Lance gritted his teeth and pulled out of the dive, flying away from the structure as quickly as he could. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, guys,” he said quietly to the Lions before bolting out of the cockpit to get Keith and Shiro. After checking to make sure that Keith was breathing, Lance hauled Shiro bodily into the cockpit and laid him down flat on the floor, running through a vitals check and disconnecting the wires from what remained of his prosthetic carefully. Finally satisfied and relying on Red and Black to fly them back to the Castle, Lance ran back for Keith. He had quite possibly the ugliest cut Lance had ever seen across his cheek- a thin line of blackish red down the center, surrounded by red, blistered skin and outlined by purple and black bruising. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quiznak, Keith!” Lance muttered, yanking off Keith’s busted chest plate and blanching at the melted jumpsuit underneath, which was fused to his skin. Bile rose in his throat, and Lance carefully placed a sheet of cool gauze over the wound, pulling Keith’s head into his lap and beginning to apply burn cream. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance?” Keith mumbled, violet eyes fluttering open. Lance wanted to kiss his eyelids, wanted to hold him and tell him it would all be okay and they’d be home soon and- Keith would probably punch him in the face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here, bud,” Lance said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You saved us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Black did all the work. Red called us- I think she was scared if she went down there she wouldn’t be able to make it back out- the gravitational pull was pretty strong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, guys,” Keith sighed, and his eyes fluttered shut again. Lance took a selfish moment to hold his head in his lap, running his fingers through his hair gently. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Quiznak. What a fucking day</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lotor was tired. Acxa was tired. Ezor and Zethrid were… well, if they weren’t dead, Honerva had certainly imprisoned them by now. Acxa had wanted to go back for them, but Lotor insisted their best bet was to return to the Castle of Lions and beg for Voltrons help. They had managed to take one of the Sycline ships from Honerva’s cruiser, but she still had the other two. He only hoped Shiro was alright. After a few hours, Lotor finally gave in to Acxa’s protests. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, Acxa, you go find Kolivan of the Blade of Marmora. Tell him what we know,” Lotor conceded, readying a small pod escape pod they had built into the Sycline. “This will get me to the Castle, and from there… we will have to improvise.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Acxa made a small scoffing noise, and blasted away towards the Blades’ headquarters. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Castle was dark when he finally arrived, which was concerning. Lotor docked his ship manually with some difficulty, and climbed into the depths of the Castle in the dark. He found his way to the control room, where the only light was coming from a small blue screen in front of Allura. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess Allura-” He called, and the silver haired woman turned, her face going from grim to relieved as she launched herself from the platform into his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” She demanded, tucking her nose into the hollow of his collarbone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine- what’s going on? Why is there no power here?” Lotor asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Allura growled, the sound of it vibrating through him. “The Quiznaking Galra! I’m going to- I wish I could- they planted a virus in Shiro’s arm, and he programmed it into the Castle. Coran is doing everything he can but I-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lotor set her on the ground, tiling her chin up and frowning at the angry tears filling her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is my fault!” Allura sighed, turning her head away, “I knew something was wrong with Shiro- even Lance said… But I ignored it! I was selfish, and I was so excited about learning Altean alchemy and everything we were accomplishing that I didn’t want to attend my own team because I didn’t want to ruin it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> your fault, Allura,” Lotor insisted, drawing her back into his arms and resting his chin on her head. “You’re going to make a million mistakes in your life, darling- believe me, I know. I’ve lived a long time. But you are strong, and clever, and courageous, and you will make this right. I know you will.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Lotor,” she whispered. “I’m glad you’re safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just then, the comm beeped, and Lotor let go of Allura to face the screen. Ezor’s face popped up, fuzzy and moving, as though she was running down a long hallway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lotor! Honerva has the last Syncline ship! Zethrid and I tried to stop her from getting it but we were too late and she’s on her way to the Colony now! You need to move- She’s got Acxa and she’s heading for-” An explosion echoed in the background and Ezor’s image cut out for a second, leaving them only with her yelp of pain. “I’ll try to- Zethrid!” Ezor cast a desperate look over her shoulder, and her expression turned from panic to pure rage, “You son of a bitch! I’ll-” the communication line cut out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quiznaking-” Allura flew from the room. “We need to get to the Alteans!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m coming with you!” Lotor insisted, rushing after her down the hall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Allura turned to face him. “You need to stay here, please, to power the castle and wormhole to the colony as soon as you can… if we don’t make it… you’re the Altean’s last hope.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lotor stared at her for a moment, then nodded, taking both her hands and bringing her knuckles to his lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You too.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The other three paladins were on their way to the quantum abyss, and Lance had deposited Keith back in Red despite his misgivings about letting him fly in his condition. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t let them go into the abyss- we just </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Keith growled through their private communication channel as they listened to Pidge and Hunk calculating the best course to the abyss. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How far from the Castle are we?” Lance asked Pidge, “Keith and I, I mean. And we might not have a choice,” he said, switching back to the channel with just Keith. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not- I can’t-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re close enough to send Shiro back in a pod now if he’s still unconscious. I’ll tell Lotor to send one your way!” Pidge interrupted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Getting Shiro into a pod and back to the Castle took about five doboshers, and then Lance and Keith were gunning for the abyss. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The abyss is a part of the galaxy where dense neutron stars orbit even larger dark stars,” Keith told Lance. He could almost see it now, in the distance. They could see the other paladins as well, shooting across the sky. There it was, coming into view. Streaks of golden light cutting through dense masses of matter, splintering around asteroids and broken down moons. Swirls of green and purple and dust slowly orbiting the largest star in a deadly, hypnotic dance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In the abyss, planets and other celestial bodies are being pulled and torn in opposite directions, which means it’s messy, chaotic, and nearly impossible to navigate.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And time is different? Care to explain that a little more?” Lance asked, feeling a bit frantic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It ebbs and flows,” Keith sighed. “Some days were weeks long, others only hours. There are surges that trigger memories, others that reveal events that haven’t happened yet- ones that won’t even happen in this reality, and others that will.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve entered the numbers Krolia sent for the path that’s unaffected by space-time, but Keith said it was overrun by those little spider creatures, so everyone stay sharp. Follow these coordinates exactly and…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Prepare yourself,” Keith said, “You’re going to see... some shit.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They entered the periphery of the abyss, following Pidge’s path carefully. Pidge pulled out in front, leading Lance, who was being closely flanked by Keith, while Allura and Hunk followed close behind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here it comes,” Keith said, and a surge of golden light blasted over them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were in a field of beautiful purple juniberry flowers, the wind gently lifting their hair from the backs of their necks, and their mouths stained with sweet tea being poured into delicate cups by a woman in a blue dress, who was sitting nearby on a richly embroidered blanket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allura!” a voice called, and they saw little Allura, looking about five years old as she ran through the flowers on chubby brown legs. Alfor caught her up in his arms and she squealed, swinging her little legs as he twirled her around against the blue blue sky. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance flinched as the vision passed, and checked on Keith, whose face was still up on his comm screen. The other boy looked like he might vomit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You ok, bud?” Lance asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” Keith said tightly, and they carried on. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Everything Just Happens So Much</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm not tagging these anymore it's exhausting. I'll try to tag if I think something might be triggering but most of the violence etc in this is fairly mild. Please let me know if I'm wrong about that and I will start tagging individual chapters/add things to the main tags again. I'm also really not happy with the way I handled the abyss in this fic- I feel like I didn't really talk about how it affected Keith, and I glazed over the futures he would have seen because I think if I'd addressed the fact that he must have seen himself and Lance together in there I'd end up with a confession from one or both of them a lot sooner than I wanted to so that's that. Anyways, let me know what you think so far!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Brace yourself,” Hunk sighed as yet another flash came towards them. Pidge closed their eyes. They could understand why Keith had seemed so shaken when they told him he had to re-enter the abyss, now. The Reds’ paladin had gone silent, and at first, Pidge checked his screen every so often, but had eventually had to stop. Keith was shaking constantly now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pidge’s own hands were beginning to trend a little unsteady; they had lived through their father's death, seen bits and pieces of all the paladins childhoods that they had never really wanted to witness (Lance’s family sitting around a single loaf of bread for night after night during the years of drought on the ranch, Keith coming home to the news of his father’s death, Hunk playing with cousins he wasn’t sure he’d ever see again, Allura losing her mother. Their own father dying in their arms). Now, they were on a beach they had never seen before, watching Lance dancing around a small camp-fire in a white cropped tee-shirt and jean shorts. His back was to them, but when he turned around, grinning beautifully, there were turquoise Altean marks covered in scars on his cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look grouchier than the Freddys when nap-time is late!” Lance laughed, and Pidge looked around for the other person. They spotted Keith sitting just behind them on a log, wearing an unfamiliar red leather jacket and sporting even more scars. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I was just thinking about something,” Keith said sleepily, wiping the glare from his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance swooped down, extracted the joint from Keith’s hand and put it between his lips. He pulled Keith up to stand, and the look of contentment on both of their faces shocked Pidge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop thinking,” he said, blowing smoke in Keith's face and trying to get him to dance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pidge opened their eyes as the feeling of the surge faded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice to know we’ll still be in touch in… however far away that memory is,” Hunk said softly, and the others hummed in agreement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know you smoked,” Lance said teasingly to Keith, who barked out a laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know you were Altean!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all managed to laugh for a moment before the next surge came. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hunk squeezed his eyes shut. He loved his friends- trusted them endlessly, but this felt awful. It was so invasive, and Hunk really couldn’t watch anyone live through more pain. Keith’s memories, in particular, hurt like a kick to the throat- the neglective foster homes, the disparagement he had faced at the Garrison, the pain of losing both his parents so young. Lance, too, was distressing. Hunk hadn’t realized how hard his family had had it in Cuba before they had enough money to purchase a herd of cattle. The feeling of childish hunger gnawed at him. And if Hunk had to watch Sam Holt die even one more time, he was going to throw himself into the conflicting gravity forces surrounding him and let them pull him apart. The next flash was coming, and Hunk braced for impact. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was in a world of white gold light. It reminded Hunk of fireflies, and he bit back a wave of homesickness, focusing on the scene in front of them. As he watched, Lance lifted his broadsword and plunged it through Allura’s abdomen. Hunk screamed, and the vision flickered. Allura leaned down to Lance, his broadsword gone, and pressed a kiss to his lips, running her hands over his face. Two glowing marks appeared on his cheeks. Another flicker, and Shiro stood in front of the five paladins, flanked by Lotor and Honerva.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Hunk saw himself, then, holding Lance back by his elbows and he snarled and struggled furiously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop it!” He heard his own voice cry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She killed them! She’s the reason Keith is dead! She’s the reason we lost Lotor and Shiro! I’ll kill her- Let me let me let me!” There was a wail of anguish, and the vision flickered out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence on the radios. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keep going,” Lance ordered in a voice full of sandpaper. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Allura was still in shock from watching herself die when the next wave hit them. Keith had opened a private channel to assure her that the future was in constant flux, that he had watched himself die at Shiro’s hands hundreds of times in the past two years, but managed to avoid that outcome. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s coming-” Keith said, cutting off their channel, and Allura stifled a sob as the wave washed over her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was standing in a sterile white hallway, the humans around her dressed in orange, grey and white uniforms, their faces drawn and pale. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kogane,” a voice called, and Allura turned to see a tall, lanky boy who she almost believed to be Lance for a moment rushing down the hall. His floppy brown hair was resting messily over his forehead, and he was wearing a face of concentration that rivaled even Keith’s own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Griffin,” Keith said, and Allura turned to see Keith standing to her right, wearing a red jacket and holding a tablet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just wanted to- listen, about yesterday, if you’re angry at me or-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not angry, Griffin,” Keith told him, the sharp line of his eyebrows softening. “You just took me by surprise. And I- I’m flattered, I really am, but I don’t think I can be… who you think I am. Not right now, anyways.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“General- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Keith</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” The other boy -Griffin- shifted uncomfortably. “Are you ok, man?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” Keith smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me- can- come with me, tonight. After work. You look exhausted. We don’t have to- I know we’re not really friends, but I… I’m worried about you. I’ll make dinner. We can catch up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Griffin-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Griffin growled in frustration, “I don’t want you to be anyone other than who you are, Kogane!” he blushed furiously, and took a few steps back. Keith looked shell-shocked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I punched you in the face?” he said tentatively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Arch-enemies for life, Kogane. But that doesn’t have to mean I can’t make you dinner and… stuff.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith sighed, looking around the now deserted hallway before a sardonic grin split his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine then, </span>
  <em>
    <span>cadet</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But don’t let anyone else catch you…” Keith paused meaningfully, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>sucking up</span>
  </em>
  <span> to the senior officers.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Griffin scoffed. “So that’s a yes?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a date,” Keith smirked, and walked away down the hall. Allura was tugged along, no longer able to see Griffin, but she stared at the fading view of the hallway for a few moments anyways. </span>
</p><p><span>“Seriously, Keith? </span><em><span>James</span></em> <em><span>Griffin</span></em><span>?” Pidge demanded as Allura’s eyes popped open. </span></p><p>
  <span>“Look, Pidge, I don’t know,” Keith replied tiredly. “It’s probably not this reality.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it is, it means we get to go home,” Hunk whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“James Griffin? I thought you and Acxa had some weird… thing that was going to turn into a… </span>
  <em>
    <span>thing</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Lance spat bitterly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance,” Keith snorted, “I’m fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>gay</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hunk, Pidge and Keith were all silent for a beat, and then Keith started laughing. After a moment, Allura exhaled, letting herself giggle with them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“While we’re all coming out to Lance,” Hunk snickered, “I’m super pansexual.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Lance huffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, since everyone else is doing it,” Allura chuckled, “And apparently this is something you humans have to tell each-other- I like women as well as men.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allura you told us that already!” Lance groaned, burying his red face in his hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What a bunch of fucking queers,” Keith gasped between fits of laughter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I should tell you, Lance,” Pidge giggled, “I’m non-binary.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well no </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Pidge!” Lance exclaimed, rolling his eyes. Allura laughed at the screen, adjusting her course slightly and leaning back, waiting for the next wave.   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Keith was tired of this. They were seven vargas in, but Pidge had said that the path would likely take them two quintants, which meant they had another thirty-four to go. They had been taking turns towing each other over the last few hours, and currently, Lance, Keith and Pidge were awake while Allura and Hunk tried to get in a nap. Pidge had programmed their Lion to follow the path on automatic, and was playing some video game distractedly, manually adjusting their course every few minutes, but not saying much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, Lance, another wave is coming.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a flickering one this time, fading in and out like a bad television signal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flicker. Lance was sitting on a low stool in a small room, with a single, barred window, surrounded by torture devices and grime. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flicker. Now it was Keith in the chair, and Hunk was tapping at the window, desperately calling his name. Keith was unconscious, or dead. He didn’t move, either way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flicker. Lance again, his wrists and ankles in chains, wearing only a small pair of shorts, black and red cuts, and purple bruises. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Hello, paladin,” Keith heard his own voice say softly, looking around to see a man in Galra armour and a full face mask standing by the door, Keith’s voice falling from his lips. “Are you frightened?” he asked Lance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all. But I might still bite,” Lance snarled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flicker. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro in the room, blood splattered on his clothing, Lance standing a few paces behind him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith, love- it’s me-” Shiro said, reaching for Keith. Their lips collided and Keith turned away. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Weird</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flicker. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance back in the chair. Keith watched himself step forward and take Lance’s hands in his own. Lance flinched and squirmed, but Keith held on, rubbing gentle circles into his pulse points under the chains. Lance gasped, shoulders dropping. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith?” Lance’s voice sounded so broken. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Quiznak</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here, bud,” Keith said gently, unlocking the padlock and untangling the chains from Lance’s wrists. “Ryan and Acxa are standing guard outside, and we’re going to get you out of here, ok?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Cuban boys gasped and nodded, tears streaming down his face. As soon as his hands were free, he pulling Keith's mask away from his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> Keith looked over at himself- his cheekbones were knifesharp under his skin, and he had a gash through his right eyebrow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith- I’m so- I’m sorry!” Lance gasped, tears streaming freely down his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flicker. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, let’s get out of here,” Hunk again, pushing a still unconscious Keith through the now empty window to someone on the other side. “Stay with me, buddy.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flicker.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fade.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith opened his eyes, gasping for air like a drowning man. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence on the line, but Keith could see Lance sitting stock still in the Black Lion, face ashen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah- yeah, sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What were you saying?” Keith asked, pushing his sweaty bangs out of his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh I-” Lance peered at him through the comm blearily. “I just wanted to say I’m… I’m glad you’re back.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith paused, sucking in a sharp breath of surprise. “Me too.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They came out of the other side of the abyss and into a fleet of Galra ships, including the three Syncline ships that Lotor and Allura had built. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a pleasure flying with you all again,” Keith said grimly. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Lance, what do we do?” Hunk asked. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Lance was quiet for a moment. “Stay in your Lions, take down as many of their ships as you can but avoid as much damage as possible. Our main operative is to get between the ships and the planet- it doesn’t look like they’ve landed there yet, so let’s keep them in the air for as long as we can.” </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Ok!” Allura said, and the Blue Lion shot into the midst of the Galra fleet, scattering fire and metal in its wake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pidge took a deep breath, and followed. Things were going fairly well at first, they weren’t winning (there were so many Galra. There were always so many Galra), but they weren’t dying either; that is, until the Syncline ships joined the fray. The paladins had mostly made it to a defensive position between the ships and the planet, except for Keith, who had gone to check on the Alteans, and Allura, who hadn’t made it past the blockade yet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Watch out!” Pidge yelled, and Hunk only just ducked out of the way of the Syncline’s laser blast. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened to Acxa?” He yelped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She must have turned on Lotor!” Pidge cried, dodging a beam from the second Sycline. In the distance, they spotted another wave of Galra cruisers. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Quiznak. Things really couldn’t get much worse</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Pidge thought, aiming a pointless blow at Honerva’s ship. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Where the fuck are Coran and Lotor?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Suddenly, their vision filled with magentawhite light, and they threw up a hand to block their eyes from the onslaught. When the light cleared, everything became significantly worse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The universe just </span>
  <em>
    <span>loves</span>
  </em>
  <span> proving me wrong, doesn’t it!” Pidge growled, staring at the mech that had materialized in front of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” Hunk swore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guys!” Keith shouted through the radio, flying back out into the fray, “There’s nobody here! They were protecting the base on the moon- but I… sort of destroyed it. But the Alteans are gone! ” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Allura screamed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quiznak!” Lance swore. “Everyone, on me! Form Voltron! Let’s get the fuck out of here!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pidge was all panic and pain from that moment on, following Lance’s instructions, pleading with whatever minor deities from any cultures they could think of to send them something- Coran, Lotor- hell, even Acxa coming back to their side would be a welcome occurrence right now. Voltron was surrounded on three sides and under heavy fire from the rest of the Galra battalion, too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It didn’t have to end like this!” Honerva cried, maniac. Pidge wanted to shoot her right in the mouth, but they couldn’t find the strength to move. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You took my son from me- you took everything from me!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A surge of pressure surrounded them, and Pidge blinked a few times at the sudden onslaught of purple light, before realizing what was happening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s pushing us through a wormhole!” They shouted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bright light of the wormhole filled Pidges blurring vision, and they held tightly to the controls of their Lion and waited. When they opened their eyes, Voltron was back in the velvety blackness of deep space, facing the Syncline mech, and the inter-reality gate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s after the quintessence,” Allura gasped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hunk! Cannon! Fire on the gate and </span>
  <em>
    <span>do not</span>
  </em>
  <span> stop until it’s destroyed, understand?” Lance ordered, “Keith, Pidge, give him some cover! Allura, send our coordinates to Lotor and Coran, hurry!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pidge steeled themselves, holding up their shield determinedly, and waited. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why isn’t she attacking?” Hunk wondered, as the gate slowly splintered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh- oh Quiznak- no- stop!” Allura shrieked, but it was too late, the gate splintered and vanished, leaving a blank expanse of space between the asteroids. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Lance demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She can-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a bright flash of purple, and they were all being thrown forwards in their seats, jolting through space as Honerva lashed blow after blow into their flank. Everything was a whirl of panic and pain again as the Sycline mech disappeared in flashes of bright purple wormholes and reappeared behind them or above them, striking from what felt like all sides at once. They were getting thrown around the asteroid field like a ragdoll. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She can enter the quintessence field at will!” Allura explained, gasping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How?” Keith demanded, snarling in pain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We gave the ships the ability,” Allura whispered.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you see? I will conquer all realities with this power- I will create a new reality, of scientific discovery and peace!” Honerva cried. The cannon on the Sycline mech charged, aimed, fired. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Move!” Lance screamed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were too slow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything went dark. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first thing Hunk heard when he awoke was Lance’s voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have to go in after her,” he was saying, and Hunk realized he meant into the quintessence field after Honerva and her horrific machine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Getting power from the quintessence is the only way we can match her strength,” Lance continued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can we do that?” Hunk asked, forcing himself to be alert.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If she can do it, so can Voltron, right?” Pidge asked. Hunk wasn’t sure he’d ever heard Pidge uncertain about something science related- though this was pretty fucking far out of their usual relm of possibility.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have to try-” Keith started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My father did it once before,” Allura said, “But it’s extremely dangerous.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t have a choice,” Keith insisted, “Allura, please.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can guide us in, but I need you all to focus,” Allura said, and Hunk took a deep inhale, steeling himself for what was about to come, and squashing down the fear bubbling in his gut for later. He closed his eyes, and focused on his connection with the other paladins. He could feel their presence around him as golden light streamed through his closed eyelids. He could feel Allura pulling at the edges of their power, taking charge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Form sword,” she ordered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hunk was unaware that they had a giant, flaming sword, but that was about the least bizarre event of the last few movements, so he chose to freak out about it later, and focused on following Allura’s directions as they shot towards the open space where the inter-reality gate used to be. The explosion of white light and energy that flooded through them when their pierced through the dimensional rift was like nothing Hunk had ever felt before- as if all of his organs were being stretched and charred from the inside out. Hunk closed his eyes, and when he opened them-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoa,” the paladins chorused, staring around at the masses of white gold light. The clouds of light reminded Hunk of fireflies, and he bit back a wave of homesickness, focusing on the Syncline mech before them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well done, princess,” Honerva sneered, and shot towards them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hunk almost missed fighting in normal space, because the amount of power coursing through him from the quintessence was incredibly draining. Still, Hunk felt better than he had in weeks, there was no pain here, and he was slowly regaining his energy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you hear your Lions talking to you?” Lance asked, a grin in his voice, “Voltron is so much </span>
  <em>
    <span>more</span>
  </em>
  <span> here- capable of anything we could ever imagine-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And more!” Pidge interrupted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> this!” Keith cried, and Hunk found himself raising his voice into a battle cry along with the other paladins, any trace of fear or trepidation long gone in the heady feeling of pure energy flowing through him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s end this!” Pidge snarled a few doboshes later, and Hunk nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Finish her!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Destroy that witch!” Allura agreed in a voice Hunk didn’t recognize.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have to get out of here!” Lance called insistently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you talking about?” Keith asked.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is exactly what happened to Zarkon, isn’t it?” Lance said, and Allura gasped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exposure to the quintessence turned him into a monster!” She confirmed. “Lance is right-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re out of control,” Keith agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All our systems are overloaded,” Pidge put in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here comes Honerva,” Hunk noticed, tensing as the Sycline mech shot towards them again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We really can’t take a-” Pidge cut off in a grunt, and the pain that had felt so distant moments before resituated itself in every inch of Hunk’s body as the two robots collided. They were hurtling through space, shimmering with electricity. Hunk couldn’t hear, couldn’t breath, couldn’t see.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Paladins! You must get out of here! Honerva has created rifts in the very fabric of space-time! Coran needs help!” A voice crackled through their audio, and for a moment, Hunk thought it was Shiro. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lotor?” Allura gasped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you get here?” the paladins cried in a jumble of confused voices.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wormhole! And there’s plenty of ways into the quintessence field now that Honerva has torn through the barrier.” Lotor said grimly, and Hunk looked around to see the old Altean pod whip by them, sending a barrage of well-aimed shots in Honerva’s direction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not leaving you in here!” Allura screamed over the crackle of electricity.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get out of here! I’ll hold her off!” Lotor’s voice filled their audio channels, and the paladins gasped. The Syncline mech had disbanded, and one of the ships drifted away into the mist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lotor!” Allura cried desperately. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go!” Lotor yelled. “Once you close the rifts, she won’t be able to get out!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She won’t be able to get out, but neither will you!” Allura choked on the words, voice shaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be fine, princess. I’m so proud of you, and so grateful to have known you,” Lotor said softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Lotor,” Lance said solemnly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lotor didn’t say anything else, but Hunk could imagine his clever smile. Lotor’s audio cut out, and there was a crackle of electricity behind them as Honerva fired on her son. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have to help! We have to grab him and get out of here!” Allura cried desperately. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t!” Pidge yelped, and Hunk realized that the crackling wasn’t coming from Honerva’s blasts, it was coming from Voltron. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pidge is right- we have to get out of here or Voltron is done for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lotor made his choice, Allura, let’s go!” Keith insisted, and Allura made a noise like a growl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t just </span>
  <em>
    <span>leave</span>
  </em>
  <span> him!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allura, come on. We gotta go, now,” Lance said, authoritative, but gently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re going!” Hunk said, watching their power levels surging and dropping wildly. He turned away from the mech, and steered Voltron away, flying out of the strange world of white dust and into the star littered sky. He didn’t notice the shrieking noise of metal on metal as a small escape pod attached to their leg until they passed through the barrier. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Lance screamed, but it was too late, the Sycline’s escape pod had detached itself and shot into the distance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Allura cried, “We must go after her!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Paladins!” Coran’s voice crackled through the audio, and Hunk caught sight of the Castle of Lions behind them. “Honerva’s jumping in and out of the quintessence field has caused multiple growing rifts in the fabric of time and space!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hunk’s head was spinning, and the blue, saucer shaped tears in the dimensional barrier around them were distracting and disconcerting to look at, but he was still coherent enough to understand that this was an all new level of </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does that mean?” Lance asked, face appearing on the screen, wide eyed and sweaty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It means that unless we do something -fast- those tears will continue to expand, and all of existence as we know it will cease to, well, exist,” Pidge explained sharply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” Keith groaned. Hunk just nodded, staring out and the glittering blue tears as they crept towards each other like waves on the beach: ebbing and pulling and eating away everything they knew and loved.   </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then we have to do something!” Lance said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scanning the rift for any strand refabrication possibilities,” Pidge said. Hunk knew the chances of finding anything were slim, but he crossed his fingers and asked the stars around them for a miracle. Of course, these stars were more likely to expel some insane alien creature that wanted to kill them than grant wishes, but it never hurt to ask. He pulled up his probability calculator and punched in the approximate rate of expansion of the rifts and their sizes, trying to see if they might close by themselves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m running models to see if there's any chance it can close on it’s own,” he told the others, waiting for his computer to run the calculations. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing,” Pidge said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope, me neither,” Hunk sighed, staring at the big red ‘X’ on his screen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long do we have?” Lance asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Based on the calculations Pidge and Hunk just sent, about fifteen doboshes,” Coran informed them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s got to be a way to close it, right Allura?” Lance asked desperately, “Voltron opened it, right, so maybe there's a way?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I just don’t possess that kind of Alchemical knowledge,” Allura replied, frustration colouring her voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The only thing that could possibly pull that rift closed is a source of gravity more powerful than a supermassive black hole,” Pidge said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The teledov!” Coran yelped. “To make wormhole jumps, the teledov creates a brief flash of infinite mass!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If we overload the reactor-” Hunk realized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It might seal the rift!” Pidge and Coran chorused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But that would mean sacrificing the Castle of Lions,” Hunk pointed out, thinking about all the time they had spent aboard the ship- the carefully curated supply of alien ingredients in the kitchen, the cosy items collected from the galaxy in his room, the movie nights in the longue, the way the giant, unfamiliar spacecraft had become his home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What choice do we have?” Keith sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Castle will be wiped out with the rest of us,” Pidge agreed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know this sucks, you guys, but if it might work, we have to try,” Lance said firmly, “Coran, begin preparations. Everyone, let’s get inside and evacuate as quickly as possible.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hunk nodded, and soon, they were packing up their meagre belongings (plus Shiro in his healing pod) and taking off again, out into the vast expanse of stars. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye old friend,” Hunk heard Coran say softly over the radio, and with a brilliant flash of white gold light that shot through them and set every bone in Hunks body on fire, an explosion like a supernova that deafened and blinded, and a sharp blink like the death of a star, the Castle of Lions was gone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance watched Hunk drift towards the pale blue light where the Castle had been seconds before, blinking back tears of exhaustion and grief. It was really gone- the place they had called home for the last year. It felt like a lifetime.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” Keith asked.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a diamond! The pressure crushed the Castle of Lions into a little diamond,” Hunk said quietly, a smile in his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Well… we just saved like, all realities everywhere,” Lance said. “What do you guys want to do now?”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“We need to find someplace to land, see if we can help Shiro,” Keith said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They found a nearby planet with a decent atmosphere thanks to some masterful calculations by Pidge and Hunk, and flew there as quickly as they could despite their aching, exhausted bodies. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith tumbled out of the Red Lion and rushed over to the Black, where they had stowed Shiro’s pod. Lance helped him carry it out, and Keith rolled Shiro onto the rocky ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He… He’s not going to wake up, is he?” Keith asked Coran in a small voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Coran cleared his throat, “I… I don’t… No. He’s not.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance knelt beside Keith, putting a hand on his broad shoulder and stifling a sob. Romelle and Allura were whispering on Shiro’s right side, and as Lance looked up to tell them to shut up, Allura knelt down, pressing her hands to Shiro’s forehead. Her Altean marks began to glow, the pale pink light spreading through her body. Under her hands, Shiro’s hair turned silvery white, and his brown eyes fluttered open, glowing briefly pink before settling back to their normal mahogany. He sat bolt upright, forehead almost hitting the crouching Hunk in the nose and coughing directly onto his chestplate. The entire group burst into tearful laughter, and Shiro chuckled weakly, collapsing sideways into Keith’s arms. Lance remembered the vision from the abyss with some degree of jealousy, wondering if that’s really what Keith wanted. Shiro’s eyes had closed again, and the others were all smiling and laughing, staring down and Shiro, but Keith was looking at Lance. It was just enough to kindle some semblance of hope in the Blacks’ paladins chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You saved me,” Shiro croaked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re glad you’re back, Shiro,” Pidge grinned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rest,” Keith ordered, and Shiro smiled, closing his eyes again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what are we gonna do?” Hunk wondered, “The Castle is gone…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s only one place that has the plans necessary to rebuild the Castle of Lions. And only one person I’d trust to do it,” Pidge said. “Coran gave them to Matt before he left for-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Earth,” Keith said, standing up, arm wrapped tightly around Shiro’s waist while Krolia supported the older man's other side, smiling at her son. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re going home,” Lance whispered.  </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. We Appreciate Krolia Zoda Of The Blade of Marmora</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I actually went through a Reddit thread of things people wished they had seen in Voltron Season 8, so thank you to anyone who posted on there for your inspiration (obviously I didn't use all of the ideas I found there, but I tried to incorporate a few that I also found myself wanting after I finished the show). Also I gave Krolia a last name so. Yeah.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Ugh!” Pidge cried, slamming open the hatch to the Black Lion’s cockpit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” Lance objected, but was quickly shushed by Hunk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shiro’s sleeping!” The Yellows’ paladin hissed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve tried contacting the Votron coalition, but I can’t get through to anyone!” Pidge exclaimed, snarling in frustration. “It doesn’t make sense! There might be some distortion I’m not picking up on… Maybe we need to get into the upper atmosphere for a better signal?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Lions aren’t going anywhere without charging their power cores,” Hunk said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t get through to anyone on my end, either,” Krolia sighed, adjusting Shiro’s head, which was balanced on her shoulder, thereby disturbing the Wolf, who growled softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not a sette!” Krolia hissed back. Keith sniggered, and the Galra woman shot him a </span>
  <em>
    <span>look</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s gotta be something we can do to recharge the Lions,” Lance insisted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well we are on the Dalterion Belt, home to the element Faunatonium,” Coran mused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That means… about nothing to me,” Keith responded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll expand the energy particles in the-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. No.” Krolia shook her head, “No science rants. Just, where do we find the element?” </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“For that, we need a Yalmor!” Coran announced. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>In the end, they decided that Shiro, Lance, Keith, and Krolia should stay on the ship as Keith wanted to keep an eye on Shiro, and Krolia wanted to keep an eye on Keith. Lance begged a headache, and the others told him to stay with little argument. Really, Lance enjoyed watching Keith and Krolia together; their relationship was different than his and his own mothers, but it still brought back memories of a childhood spent clinging to her rough hands, playing around her feet as she worked in the garden. They spent the first few vargas that the others were gone sitting in silence in the Blacks’ storage area, which had become kind of a common room for the group since the destruction of the Castle, Lance watching Keith and Krolia with some degree of jealousy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance, do you want us to leave?” Krolia asked, looking up from where she was sitting with Keith, talking quietly. “I know you said you had a headache.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine,” Keith assured her, and Lance -who was already feeling unfairly bitter towards the Reds’ paladin, exploded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith,” he snapped, then glanced over at the sleeping Shiro and Krolia’s concerned face. “Can I talk to you outside?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” Keith stood, and followed Lance outside carefully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t get to fucking speak for me!” Lance growled as soon as they were out of the Lion and standing on the sandy ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do it all the time!” Lance was pacing, he could feel Keith’s intense grey eyes on him, and it made him angrier. “I don’t understand why you gave me the Black Lion if all you’re doing is undermining me-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I assumed your headache wasn’t that bad?” Keith sneered. Quiznak, Lance hated that sneer. It had been awhile since he heard it, but it was just as self-congratulatory and condescending as ever. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not just that! Whenever I take a pause to collect my thoughts while we’re fighting, you jump in! Whenever I take more than a moment to give orders, you start giving them instead- sometimes you even cut me off to give your own instructions!” Lance knew he was being unfair, that what he was saying wasn’t really true, but he couldn’t stop. “Is it ‘cause your mommy is here? Are you trying to impress her? Show her you’re just as much of a bigshot as you made yourself out to be? Cause you can have it back, Keith. Take the Black Lion back, if you want to so badly. I’m sure you could, cause apparently all the Lions listen to you with no questions asked!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to usurp your command- or whatever it is you think I’m trying to do, Lance! I gave you the Blacks’ bayard because he told me you were ready, and I thought so, too. He told me how you’d really risen to the occasion when I was gone and Shiro was… not himself. How you held the team together. And I saw it, too, just in the few minutes I was on the Castle before everything went to shit,” Keith’s arms were crossed, and he was spitting words at Lance like they burnt his tongue. “I trusted you to lead, Lance, because I knew you were better at it than me, ok?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance deflated, surprised at the kindness of Keith’s words and the genuine feeling behind them, and ashamed of the way he had yelled. They were past that now- or at least, they had been for the last few quintants, and for the phoebes when Keith was with Marmora. Before then, even. Keith had slowly, but surely, been becoming one of Lance’s best friends, and here he was, chewing him out for nothing like it was their first day on the Castle again. He started to apologize, but Keith had already turned around and stormed back into the Black Lion. Lance sighed, and collapsed onto the sandy ground, folding his knees up in front of him and resting his head on them. It must have only been a few doboshes later than he heard someone walk over and stand beside him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance looked up in surprise to see Krolia standing beside him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May I sit?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” Lance said, scooting over. Krolia crouched down next to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did Keith send you to tell me to get my act together?” Lance asked bitterly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Krolia replied simply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance waited for her to say more, but she didn’t, so he returned to staring at his knees. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, my son spoke of his team extensively during our time in the abyss,” Krolia said, and Lanced looked over at her. She was gazing into the distance now, watching the clouds skitter of the spines of the mountains. This planet was so like Earth it made Lance’s throat ache. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He told me about Shiro the most, of course. His brother… Shiro means a lot to Keith.” </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Of course</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Lance thought, turning his eyes back to his knees and fighting down the jealousy rising from his stomach, tasting of bile. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How could he ever expect to compete with Takashi Shirogane</span>
  </em>
  <span>?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But he spoke of you, as well,” Krolia continued. “He told me how much you’d grown. How much you’d taught him-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How much </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> taught </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Lance interrupted incredulously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Krolia laughed. “Yes. How much you taught him about family, and friends, and belonging somewhere. About leading through understanding and patience. About patience itself. And empathy. And most of all, kindness. My son learned to be kind thanks to people like you and Shiro.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never been kind to him,” Lance confessed, shaking his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not how he tells it,” Krolia smiled gently. “Shiro means a lot to Keith, Lance, but I think you might mean just as much.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance simply gaped at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you’ve been questioning whether you are the right person to lead this team,” Krolia interrupted, “So did Keith. But sometimes being a leader means stepping down when the right person comes along to take your place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance opened his mouth to tell her that he would give the Black Lion back to Keith in a heartbeat, but she kept speaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes, it means stepping up.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance snapped his jaw shut, and stared at Krolia. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“CanIhugyou?” He blurted, feeling the blood rushing to his face. Embarrassed, he turned his head away, looking back down at his feet. In the next breath, he was being wrapped in a strong pair of arms and pulled into Krolia’s embrace. Lance relaxed, fighting back the hot flood of tears threatening to spill from his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My son trusts you with this team, Lance. And I trust you with my son.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance bit back a sob and buried his head in Krolia’s shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
  <span>Keith didn’t know what Krolia had said to Lance, but when the other paladin entered the Black Lion alone, looking seriously chagrined, he worried she had torn him apart for the rant he’d unleashed on Keith. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Hey, Keith? I’m sorry,” Lance said, standing in front of Keith and fussing with his hair. “I shouldn’t have lost my cool like that- I’m just… stressed, and tired, and missing home, and I took it out on you, and that’s not fair.” </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Keith couldn’t do anything except stare at Lance in surprise for a beat. “Hey, buddy, it’s ok,” He managed, “I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have tried to-”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Stop, no, shut up. I’m apologizing, you’re saying: I accept your apology, and that’s that!” Lance interrupted, holding up a hand. Keith laughed, nodding. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Ok. I accept your apology,” he said, staring up at Lance’s high, honeybrown cheekbones, glowing blue in the dim light of the Black Lion’s interior. Lance grinned, and Keith reached up, taking his hand, but Lance didn’t pull him to his feet right away, simply rested his warm, calloused hand in Keiths, grinning blindingly down at him with glittering teal eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We make a good team,” he said, finally tugging Keith to stand. Keith’s jaw dropped, and he began to laugh, ready to call Lance out for years of </span>
  <em>
    <span>lies</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but the Blacks’ paladin was already retreating to his cockpit- presumably for a nap and a facemask, the broad muscles of his back elegantly outlined in the blue light. Keith watched him go, mouth still slightly parted, eyes fixed on his graceful form. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind him, Shiro let out a pained chuckle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, kid. You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> screwed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I liked you better dead,” Keith retorted, and Shiro just cackled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a bit of a struggle figuring out where everyone was going to fit into the Lions, but they settled on keeping Kaltenecker in Black, as it was the biggest, as well as anyone who wanted to stretch their legs, with the help of the Wolfs teleporting. Romelle went with Allura in an attempt to keep the Blues’ paladins spirits up in the wake of what had happened to Lotor. Coran and went in Yellow with Hunk, while Pidge adopted the mice into their small space. Keith took Shiro, Krolia and the Wolf- who wouldn’t stay anywhere else despite their best efforts to have him ride with Hunk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything was going fairly smoothly until they reached the Marmora base. Instead of the friendly welcome they had expected, they found the stronghold empty. They left the Lions outside and ventured into the building, searching for some sign of life. Unfortunately, they found it. Instead of a Blade of Marmora base, the paladins had stumbled into the fortress of Galra pirate war-lord with a long braid and a gold tooth, whose forces quickly took them prisoner and locked them in a dark, damp cell. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why does shit like this always happen to us?” Pidge grumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Occupational hazard,” Shiro responded wearily, leaning against the wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The others were all displaying their anxiety in their own ways- most of which were just making their fellow prisoners more anxious. Lance had resorted to kicking at the walls, searching for a ‘secret passage’ while muttering under his breath. Hunk was pacing, Pidge was reciting Planck's constant or something, and Keith was leaning against the wall, praying they would all shut up soon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance, stop that,” Krolia insisted, and Lance huffed, crashing his head against the wall and sinking down to sit with his legs crossed under him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s only one guard out there, if we can get this door open, we can overpower him.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened to Coran?” Hunk wondered, as if just now noticing the ginger man was missing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He must have managed to hide when we were captured,” Krolia sighed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At least we have one ally out there to fight for us!” Romelle said hopefully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you saying our fate rests in Coran’s hands?” Pidge wrinkled their nose. The team looked around at each-other with matching perturbed frowns.   </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will help you look for that passage,” Romelle told Lance.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few doboshes later, the door opened, but not due to any of their efforts. Lance and Romelle had returned to sitting on the floor, and Krolia had resorted to attempting to explain the rules of some complex Galran board game to Hunk. The man with the long braid entered, and immediately spat at Krolia’s face. She ducked just in time, and a milky wad of spit slid down the wall behind her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Traitor,” the man sneered. “Now. We’re going to have a little… talk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The group stayed silent, staring up at the man. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to know where you’ve been, and what happened to Haggar. I want to know where she is, what she’s doing, and where you think you’re going.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you talking about?” Shiro snapped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m talking about your little three year disappearing act!” the man snarled. “Answer the question, how did you survive that explosion? Where is Lotor? Are you working with the witch?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then how. Did. You. Survive.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The power of teamwork?” Hunk shrugged, and Keith shot him a glare. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man slammed his fist into the wall, “I’m going to ask one more time, and then one of you is coming with me, and we’ll find out just how much it’s going to take to get you talking. What happened to Haggar, and where have you been all this time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t know what you’re talking about!” Allura snapped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine then, first victim?” he waited a beat before continuing, “No volunteers?” the tall, hulking man turned to one of the guards. “Why don’t you take the pick of the litter.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure this group of heros has a soft spot for the small one,” the guard growled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t touch them!” Lance snarled, but Keith was already stepping forwards, not entirely sure how he was going to validate this decision to Krolia later, but unwilling to let this man lay a finger on Pidge. </span>
</p><p><span>“Maybe you’re right,” Keith said, slow and lethargic, like he had all the time in the world to play this pirate’s game, “maybe we do have a soft spot for the small one, but it’s because </span><em><span>they’re</span></em> <em><span>soft</span></em><span>. It’s not fun if it’s not a challenge, right? They'll break so </span><em><span>easy</span></em><span>.”</span></p><p>
  <span>“Keith what the hell are you doing-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you’re not so easy, little paladin?” the man practically purred, and Keith felt bile rise in his throat, but he stood his ground, getting right up in the man's face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t you like to find out?” Keith hissed in his ear, and then he was being dragged away down the hall and slammed face first onto a table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know your type,” the man whispered in his ear, loosening his chestplate and pulling it roughly over his head. “You think you’re untouchable- pain does nothing to you, you’ve felt it all. But I’m not going to hurt you, pretty thing. I am going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>ruin</span>
  </em>
  <span> you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He flipped Keith onto his back, stripping his armour off as Keith struggled desperately against the metal straps holding him to the table, and pressed a syringe filled with white hot pain into his arm. Keith struggled against the bindings, biting his lip until it bled; the fire in his veins slowly faded, and something much worse took its place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Darling</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...</span>
  <em>
    <span>baby</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Pretty little thing</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith lay still for as long as he could, trying not to notice what was happening to him, but eventually, he started screaming, and couldn’t stop until finally, the Galra warlord's hand flew through the air, colliding with his temple, and everything went dark. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Keith woke up, he was still attached to the table, but his jumpsuit was back on, and Lance was staring down at him in concern, reaching forwards to touch the bruise on his temple. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t fucking touch me!” Keith snarled, scrambling away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoa- sorry buddy!” Lance stammered, but Keith was already yanking on his armour, ignoring the pain ricocheting through his body, and leading the way out of the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s just get the fuck out of here.”   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Lions were straight up crowded now. With Acxa (who had saved them from Coran attempting to rescue them at the Pirates stronghold) along, there were at least two people in every cockpit, and in most, an animal as well. Shiro had escaped to Allura’s Lion, and Acxa was riding with Lance now to let Krolia stay with Keith, who had been acting… strangely since their encounter with the Galran warlord a few quintants prior. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everybody up!” Keith’s voice cut through Hunk’s half conscious thoughts and his eyes shot open. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No…” he groaned. “Lance, why the hell did you put him in charge of the schedule?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I regret everything,” Lance replied sleepily. “Keith, as the Black paladin, I order you to let us skip training today.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Too late, asshole. You said I was in charge of making sure that another Earth year in space with no training room doesn’t dull our skills. Get up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fifteen more doboshes?” Allura pleaded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hate fake morning,” Pidge grumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, everyone. To your stations!” Keith insisted. The audio channels were filled with the sounds of the paladins dragging themselves out of bed, and starting on the new simulation Krolia had built them. When it had finished knocking them all out by way of evil alien creatures, thick atmospheric pressure, and volcanos, Krolia chuckled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I programmed that one to be unbeatable, I wanted to see how long you’d last!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Krolia!” the paladins protested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like mother, like son,” Lance groaned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Food incoming!” Hunk announced, finishing up his final breakfast wrap and attaching it to the Wolf. “What a good wolf… fella- guy- Quiznak, we really gotta come up with a name for this wolf!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not gonna happen,” Keith told him dryly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, come on!” Hunk rolled his eyes, “I vote Kosmo.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like Kosmo!” Allura agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kosmo is cool,” Lance said and Romelle made a noise of agreement from somewhere behind him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kaltenecker no! Don’t eat Lance’s socks!”  She cried, and Hunk heard footsteps pattering through the metal interior of the Black Lion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kosmo is neat- very appropriate,” Pidge put in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not calling him Kosmo!” Keith insisted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh come on Keith we gotta call him something- we can’t just keep calling him ‘the wolf’! He’ll start thinking that's his name!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith thinks he’ll tell us his name when he’s ready,” Krolia told them, clearly choking back a laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom!” Hunk could hear the eye roll in Keith’s voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance yawned, “So, Kosmo, then. Got it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The argument continued on through breakfast, until Pidge interrupted them with the announcement of a Marmora distress signal coming from a nearby planet. Hunk was almost grateful for the news- a stop to check out the planet might mean they would get to land and stretch their legs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s hope it’s from Kolivan, but in case it’s not, everyone stay alert,” Lance said as the landed on the wrecked planet, wandering through dingy streets and war-torn sandstone houses that reminded Hunk of the buildings on planet Tatooine in the Star Wars movies. He wondered where they shot those scenes on Earth. He wondered if someone would recreate them now that Earth had access to the rest of the galaxy- shoot them on different planets, with real spacecrafts and pilots. Hunk thought he’d like to watch that show, when this was all over. They were walking listlessly through the street, Krolia growing more restless by the minute, and Keith frowning dangerously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s nobody here,” Pidge sighed. “I can’t see where the signal originates, but I’ll keep trying to triangulate it’s location.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There was a massacre here,” Acxa whispered, pressing a gloved hand to a crumbling bit of sandstone. The buildings were taller now, closer to the center of the city. Hunk was reminded of New York City- a vacation he’d gone on with his family, lifetimes ago. The thought of returning home was making him more homesick than ever, he realized. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Some of this damage looks like it’s from magic,” Allura said slowly, running her hand over the scars Acxa was inspecting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone stay alert,” Shiro instructed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The light breeze shifted, and Kosmo growled, turning his head towards a nearby building that was mostly intact. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith turned too, but he didn’t say anything, so they kept walking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“These strike patterns look Marmoran,” Krolia noticed, staring at a crumbling stone wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keep looking!” Keith insisted, “we need to find whatever Blade is broadcasting that- what is it, buddy?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kosmo was growling again, teeth bared and eyes narrowed. Suddenly, he leapt away, gracefully scaling a nearby pile of rock that was once a building. There was a thud and a grunt of surprise from the other side, and Kosmo kept snarling. Keith bolted around the pile, and the others followed, stumbling over the uneven ground. Hunk managed to keep pace with Keith, and when they arrived on the other side of the ruined building, he leveled his bayard at the thin, long-fingered person under Kosmos paws. Kosmo’s catch was wearing a mask with two small tusks on the front, made of some sort of pale alien wood with streaks of dark grey in the grain. Their hands were held over their head, fingers bound in strips of white cloth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you?” Keith demanded, “Are you broadcasting the distress signal?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes! Yes!” the man answered in a rich, albeit shaking voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re no Blade of Marmora,” Keith snapped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you will drop your weapons, I will explain everything!” the man stammered. Hunk looked over at Keith, who was holding his position with a clenched jaw. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stand down, Keith,” Lance said quietly behind them, walking over and leaning casually on Hunks shoulder. “Even if he is trying to double-cross us, I think we can take him.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man led them to a dingy room in what was once the basement of a bar of some sort- the long tables above were all missing bits of wood and nails, slumping against each other in front of the mostly intact bar counter like the drunks who had once sat around their bench seats nightly.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a worn blue curtain over the door way, and the man had built a fire in the center of the room, which was crackling merrily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This place is… dismal!” Romelle wrinkled her nose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have called this place home for the last two deca-phoebes,” the man told her indignantly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh- well, dismal is Altean for lovely!” Romelle backpedaled, smiling sheepishly, “You don’t speak Altean, do you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is where the signal was coming from!” Pidge announced cheerfully, looking at their screen, “Somewhere below us, anyways.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are clever,” the man rasped, taking a seat across the fire from them and dangling his long hands over his bony knees, “But I wouldn’t expect less from the Green paladin of Voltron.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You recognized us,” Hunk realized, laying his hand on his bayard cautiously. Being recognized was hardly ever a good thing for them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course- though I am surprised to see you. All were sure you had perished three years ago,” the man responded, throwing another bit of wood onto the fire, which sparked and glimmered.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, we just found that out,” Lance responded grimly. “But we’re back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I am so grateful that you are,” the man answered. “I am Macidus.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Lance,” Lance said, holding out his hand, “And this is Keith, and Krolia, and I think they have some questions for you,” he beconned the two Galra forward, and they shook hands as well, unsmiling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened here?” Keith asked sharply, and Krolia turned her head, wandering away. Hunk saw Acxa’s boot disappearing through a nearby curtain, Krolia in close pursuit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bloodshed happened here,” Macidus answered forebodingly, and Hunk fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Death happened here. This is my home planet, but now, I am the only one left alive.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a gasp from the next room, and Krolia burst back through the curtain, holding a Marmoran blade in her hand, eyes blazing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing with these?” She demanded furiously, aiming her blaster at Macidus. The others stared at her in wide-eyed shock, Keith’s face going dark with anger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hang them, in honour of their sacrifice,” Macidus answered, unperturbed, “They died protecting the universe.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did it happen?” Krolia asked, keeping her blaster trained on the lanky alien. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This all started, when Voltron disappeared- when </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> disappeared,” he answered, turning back to face the fire. Hunk bristled, guilt crawling up his esophagus and staining his mouth with the taste of honey and dust. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The power vacuum that ensued destabilized much of the universe. The Galra turned on each other, warlords and pirates became the rulers of the land.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about the witch- Haggar?” Shiro asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She disappeared at the same time you did. Nobody has seen her for the past three decaphoebes. But her druids continued her work, carrying out her final orders. They set out to destroy every Blade.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“After Lotor took the throne almost every agent was exposed,” Keith muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s when the slaughter began,” Macidus said. “The Blades were called away from their assignments and sent to this base. Kolivan knew they were being hunted, and he wanted to make a stand against them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Krolia lowered her gun, and Keith’s fists clenched. Hunk reached out to put his hand on Keith’s shoulder but the smaller boy hissed and dodged away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He believed fighting the Druids was their only means of survival. When they arrived here, we helped them fortify their defences, but the Druids found them sooner than we had hoped. They arrived without warning, encircling the base and besieging it with magic. After a long battle, the base fell. Casualties on both sides were enormous.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith and Krolia were both standing ramrod straight, staring at Macidus with their jaws clenched and their breathing laboured. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My people tried to escape, but were slaughtered. I stayed behind with Kolivan- he led those of us remaining into battle with the last of the Druids, but for each one we managed to take down, it seemed a hundred Blades would fall!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Krolia made a noise that seemed to be halfway between a sob and a growl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In the final battle, I was buried beneath a fallen structure. When I finally freed myself, the battle was over, and I was the lone survivor. I’ve been sending the signal Kolivan gave me ever since in the hopes of finding any remaining Blades.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s still a few of us alive,” Keith choked out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Krolia turned to the room behind the curtain, pulling back the cloth and staring at the wall of knives. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I recognize every one of these Blades,” she said sadly, “I trained many of them myself- if only I had been here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kolivan!” Keith gasped, reaching past her and pulling one of the Blades from the wall. “How could- why- </span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Their service will not be forgotten,” Shiro said, reaching for Keith, who turned his head and shied away. As Hunk watched, the Blade in Keiths hands glowed purple for just a moment, before fading. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kolivan?” Krolia gasped, “His blade is flickering!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does that mean?” Hunk asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A Marmoran agent's life force is tied to their blade,” Krolia explained, “If it’s glowing- he must still be alive!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just barely,” Macidus intoned from behind them, voice threateningly low and soft. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hunk gasped, turning away from Krolia to stare at the man, still seated by the fire. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your hand is looking much better,” Macidus said, turning to Keith. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My- hand?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t remember our fight?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith’s eyes blew wide, and he growled, extending his sword again and handing Kolivan’s blade to Krolia. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been using that signal to draw Blades in!” He accused, and Hunk lifted his weapon on automatic, fear and anger curling in a familiar dance in his gut. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Macidus simply laughed, releasing a vial from his toolbelt, which hit the floor with a metallic clang. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit!” Krolia shouted, reaching for it. The last thing Hunk saw before everything went icy cold and dark, was Lance knocking Keith away from the vial, and Kosmo zapping both men out of the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance would have been no match for the Druid on his own, so when Kosmo snapped them into a corridor below the room they had been sitting in at the fire, Keith grimacing in annoyance by his side was a welcome sight. Fighting the Druid while adjusting to being teleported around by Kosmo was incredibly difficult, and again, Lance found himself relying on the Reds’ paladin to fill in the gaps- felt the other man doing the same. Lance had never been a particularly gifted hand-to-hand combat fighter, but Keith was, and he filled in the weaknesses in Lance’s training nicely. After what felt like hours of being shot around the room, desperately trying to land a blow wherever he could, Keith finally provided Lance with an opening, jamming his blade against the Druids own and holding him. Lance had his sniper out almost before he could think, and leveled the shot. It hit the Druid in the shoulder as he teleported away, forcing him onto the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where. Is. Kolivan?” Keith demanded, holding the tip of his knife against the man's throat. Macidus simply laughed, his gnarled blue features twisted and ugly without his mask, which Keith had sliced through earlier. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Our high priestess Haggar has forsaken us because of traitors like you,” he growled. “But after you and the other paladins are dead… I will be allowed to return!” His face split into a manic smile, and with a loud zap, he was gone. Lance grabbed Keith and Kosmo, and ran. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get the fuck off me-” Keith snapped, yanking his wrist away, but he followed Lance as they sprinted through the underground cavern. Laughter echoed over the walls, and Cosmo leapt between them. The rushing feeling of teleportation that was becoming horribly familiar washed over Lance, and when his vision cleared, he immediately reached for Keith again, pointing mutely to the figure suspended by his wrists and ankles to the ceiling of the damp cave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kolivan!” Keith cried. “We’ll get you out of here soon-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was another zap, and a snarl, and Macidus stood in front of them, holding his bloody shoulder and grinning madly. Then they were fighting again, and Macidus was definitely picking up on Lance’s lesser speed- pinning him and shooting him with electricity that made his bones feel like they were shattering inside him, throwing Kosmo away with sickening yelps whenever he got too close. Keith flew at the Druid, and Lance shouted as his friend was flung into the wall with a muffled crunch and a grunt of pain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, the ceiling of the cave above them exploded in a wave of pink and white light, and Allura, Hunk, Pidge, Acxa, and Krolia all landed on the floor of the tunnel, weapons drawn. Lance was momentarily thrilled- staring at his friends in awe, but the Druid quickly dispatched Hunk, Pidge and Allura with quick, brutal strikes, and Keith didn’t seem to be getting up any time soon. Lance tried to stand, but his vision was blurry from the teleporting and his balance was uneven from the electricity. He watched Acxa and Krolia fighting the Druid, wondering how the hell they were going to get out of </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> mess, and then he saw Keith stand. The Reds’ paladin rose to his feet, lifted his blade, and closed his eyes. After a moment, he hurled his blade directly towards Krolia and Acxa, just as the Druid zapped out of sight. Lance watched as the blade flew straight at Krolia’s forehead, gasping when it stopped inches away, embedded in the Druid’s flank. The lanky alien grunted, screamed, and burst into a bright flash of blue light, disappearing completely and leaving only Keith’s blade in his wake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good job Keith,” Lance gasped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Hunk murmured, “I thought this was going to end with my face melted off like in Krolia’s simulator this morning.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith didn’t respond, simply nodding at the others before walking over to Kolivan and beginning to slice through the heavy ropes binding him to the ceiling.   </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Kolivan woke up, he and Krolia talked for a long time in a separate room while the others waited in trepidation. Finally, Krolia emerged, looking grim. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I cannot continue with you to Earth,” Krolia announced, “I must go with Kolivan to try and find the remaining Blades.” </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Lance looked around at the others before nodding sharply to Krolia, who smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith,” Krolia crossed the room to her son. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance was surprised to see Keith and his mother hugging tightly before separating, Krolia murmuring, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you, son, I’m so proud of you,” as she pulled away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too mom,” Keith mumbled. “Take this,” he told her, holding out his Marmoran Blade, “You can give it back to me when we see each other again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be safe, ok?” Krolia nodded, taking the knife and turning to Lance, “Bring him back to me, Blacks’ paladin.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance flushed, and took her proffered hand, allowing himself to be pulled in for a hug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promise I will,” he whispered into her shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> “We should head out,” Shiro said, and with quick goodbyes to the rest of the crew, they left Krolia and Kolivan in the setting sun of the city, and took off into the stars again.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. We'd Never Get Home Without Hunk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Eh! Part One: Home is complete! (I'm Canadian so you'd best be pronouncing that eh like yay without the first y or I'll send my polar bear to turn your ass into fertilizer for black-eyed peas). Obviously, I didn't have a problem with how the Earth homecoming went so I didn't rework it (except the mech that the ATLAS turned into was bullshit but I couldn't figure out a good way to get rid of it so I guess it has to stay). Thanks folks! As always, please let me know if you need anything from me as an author, or even just someone to talk to I guess?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>They spent four movements in the intergalactic void. At first, they tried to pass the time by playing road-trip games, but eventually gave up. It was hard to play eye spy when the only thing to spy was darkness and stars. Shiro was getting antsy, and he could tell that it was starting to annoy Pidge, who just groaned every time he suggested running a new configuration of transmission signals to try and gain contact with another planet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry guys,” Lance said, “We just have to keep our instincts sharp, and we’ll get through this. Something will come along to liven up our trip soon, I know it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What makes you so sure?” Keith snapped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because if I’ve learned anything in all our travels through space, it’s that something always comes along to try and kill us,” Lance responded cheerfully. “Hey Pidge, why is it so dark here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure,” Pidge said, “My best guess is that this area is surrounded by a large nebula that blocks out most of the light.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Must be a patch of that dark matter stuff I’ve heard so much about,” Lance mused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That isn’t what dark matter is,” Shiro and Pidge chorused. Shiro looked over at the younger paladin just in time to catch the end of their eye roll. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Although, if it’s this dark, I guess it doesn’t really matter, huh?” Hunk joked, and this time, Shiro witnessed the entire show of Pidges pained exhalation, their eyes flicking dramatically back into their head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guys,” Shiro started, realizing something, “I might have an idea about how to get the Lions back to full power.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you’re just now deciding to tell us?” Keith asked irritably. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well sorry, Keith, but you know, being microchipped by Haggar and having my nervous system taken over, forcing me to fight pretty much tirelessly for an entire quintant, only to get my arm sawed off -again- </span>
  <em>
    <span>may</span>
  </em>
  <span> have had me a little out of sorts for the past few weeks,” Shiro responded, tired of Keiths bitching. The Reds’ paladin was getting more and more grouchy by the day due to the lack of physical activity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Keith replied guiltily, “Sorry, Shiro, what is it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, remember when we were fighting Zarkon, and we were hit with that beam that drained all of our quintessence?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes!” Allura answered, “you were all completely incappacitated!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Shiro said, thinking back to that day with some reluctance, “But we managed to regenerate enough power to keep fighting.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah…” Lance said thoughtfully, “We repowered Voltron ourselves!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro nodded, “I think that’s how it’s supposed to be. Since I disappeared, you’ve been recharging using the crystals in the Castle of Lions to recharge, but if you were a team of fully realized paladins, you wouldn’t need that- I think I would have seen that if I wasn’t so… out of it for the last few phoebes. I’m sorry.” Shiro clenched his good hand on the back of Pidges chair, guilt clogging his throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Shiro… This must- It’s my fault. You were able to recharge Voltron before I joined but now…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s nobody's fault!” Hunk interrupted, and Shiro felt a surge of gratitude for the Yellow paladin. “Being a paladin is hard!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It takes training,” Shiro agreed, “You haven’t had a chance to focus on working together yet. You need to find your balance in this configuration.”   </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well we’ve got nothing but time now,” Pidge groaned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve been down before, guys, and we’ve always got back up!” Lance said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly,” Shiro smiled, pride filling his chest. These kids… they’d grown up so much since they first left Earth. He was astounded every day by how much they’d matured. He listened to Keith and Lance debating which exercises they should use to help bond the team, both of them civil, running with each other's ideas, and easily taking input from the rest of the team. Just as they were coming to a decision, a flash of electricity crackled in the distance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Up ahead!” Pidge shouted, but it was too late. They were being blasted by white light- Lance yelling orders frantically as they tried to get out of the way of the strange strands of energy whipping around them. The world went white, and Shiro stopped thinking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is everyone all right?” Lance called when the waves of electricity finally stopped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” Keith growled. “But my Lion’s not responding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Neither is mine!” Pidge replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m out, too,” Hunk said, and dread clenched in Lance’s chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re ok, but I’ve lost power as well… Also, Romelle appears to be frozen,” Allura told them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shiro is too, but his vitals seem fine,” Pidge said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Copy that with Acxa,” Lance said, poking the Galra woman's cheek.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Our armour must have protected us from the shock,” Hunk hypothesized. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pidge, is there any way to get the Lions up and running?” Keith demanded, and the severity of their situation suddenly dawned on Lance. They were thousands of light years from anything, with no power, limited oxygen, and no way to call for help. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe, but I have no idea how long it’ll take,” Pidge replied. “And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but after that blast, we’re all drifting in opposite directions.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If we don’t do something fast, we might lose each other before we get the power back,” Hunk said fearfully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok,” Lance sighed, trying to refocus. “First priority is tethering the Lions together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have an idea of how we can do it!” Allura announced hopefully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Some magical powers you learned on Oriande?” Keith sneered, and Lance only just stopped himself from banging his head against the wall in frustration. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Keith</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Allura snapped, “Some leftover zipline I have in my hull.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re getting out of our Lions for this? We have no idea what that blast was! What if it comes back?” Hunk worried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the only way to stay together,” Keith argued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith’s right, let’s get moving,” Lance said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were all gathered at the Yellow Lion, trying to push it over to Blue for the tether, when the second energy surge came. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Grab on!” Lance yelled, scrabbling for the Yellow Lion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pidge screamed, flying past them and whirling away into open space. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh no!” Hunk yelped, and rolled backwards, knocking the rest of them from their holds on Yellow and into what felt like the most intense roller coaster Lance had ever been on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stick together!” Keith called, reaching for Lance, who managed to wrap an arm around the smaller man's chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got Keith!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have Pidge,” Allura called, and reached out to grab Keith’s other arm as they whirled past. Lance stretched out, snatching Hunk’s fingers in his own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quiznak, Lance, let go,” Keith snarled, untangling himself from Lance’s embrace and sighing painfully as he grabbed Lance’s hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are the Lions?” Pidge asked in a small voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have no idea what direction they’re in at this point,” Hunk replied with a note of panic.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does anyone have any supplies?” Lance asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope,” the paladins responded in a jumble of general negativity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry guys,” Lance said, trying to stay upbeat, “We have each other, and something else will be along to kill us any tick now!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Any tick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Any tick. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A varga later and their oxygen monitors were starting to beep, indicating dropping levels. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sound off,” Lance said miserably. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith,” Keith said in a choked voice to his right. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pidge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allura.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hunk?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m hiding,” Hunk said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sound off, Hunk. For… routine,” Lance said tiredly, resisting the urge to squeeze Keith's hand. Keith was shaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance is right,” Pidge said, “Being lost in space has been known to drive one mad. Too much time contemplating infinity is not good for the mind. I like to keep busy counting out Pi as far as I can; the record is four quadrillion, but that’s using the Hadoop parallelization framework. I’m just using my brain.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoa, guys, look! Lights!” Lance called, pointing in the direction of the bird-like white shimmers in the distance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hunk snorted, “Told you Lance would go crazy first.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No- Lance is right! There are lights!” Keith exclaimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps it’s a ship?” Allura wondered hopefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A ship! We’ve been rescued!” Hunk rejoiced, but Lance could already tell that the lights were no ship. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the lights drew closer, then appeared to be a little school of alien creatures, little circular bodies with narrow, cone shaped wings, covered in glowing markings. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Amazing!” Pidge breathed as the creatures passed through their circle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re beautiful,” Allura sighed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creatures swirled around them in a beautiful, glowing vortex. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should follow them,” Hunk said, “They must be going somewhere, like a hive or something. Whatever it is, it’ll be better than sitting out here starving to death.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hunk’s right,” Keith put in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then let’s follow them,” Lance agreed, “Stick together, guys.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all enabled their jetpacks, and as quickly as the creatures had come, they disappeared. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where did they go?” Hunk gasped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Were they even real?” Keith wondered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess they could have been a hallucination,” Pidge answered slowly, “But those usually only happen when you’re going mad.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They relinked, pressing their backs together, with the exception of Keith, who would only hold onto their wrists. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You ok, bud?” Lance asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” Keith responded shortly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another varga passed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sound off,” Lance ordered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another varga, and their oxygen was at fifty percent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance,” Keith murmured. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Lance mumbled, trying not to inhale too much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need to sound off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance hummed in tired agreement, croaking “Sound off.” in a weak voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sound off,” Keith repeated, authoritatively. Lance squeezed his hand gratefully.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allura.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pidge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hunk was silent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hunk,” Keith snapped, “Sound off, man, we need to keep it together!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith!” Allura exclaimed angrily, “You don’t need to be so-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allura it’s ok,” Hunk said gently, “I was just… lost in this fantasy, y’know, that we’d get to Earth and the Garrison would throw us a parade and all that stuff, and then, maybe I’d meet some hotshot pilot who wanted to check out the Yellow Lion, and then the Yellow Lion would take a shine to them, obviously, and I’d be like ‘Whoa, I can’t stand between you two! The bond is strong here!’” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hunk what are you talking about,” Lance interrupted, unable to help himself. He couldn’t imagine Voltron without Hunk. It would be… wrong. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fantasizing about quitting Volton?” Allura accused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, no, not quitting. Just, being the bigger man,” Hunk answered. “Passing the baton to a younger generation- someone less tired, maybe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Am I quite wrong, or is Hunk still quite young by Earth standards?” Allura asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know- how long have we been out here? I should be like-” Hunk started finger counting, but before he got very far, Keith tensed beside Lance. Not thinking, Lance released his wrist and wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders. The Reds’ paladin let out a blood curdling scream, thrashing away from Lance and swiping his bayard through the air frantically. He was gasping, teeth gritted and eyes wild. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith! Keith! There’s nothing there! It’s just us!” Pidge called. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith- please stop!” Lance begged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith,” Hunk spoke quietly, “Keith there’s nothing there, please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were all pleading with him, keeping their voices low in Hunk’s example, which had seemed to slow Keith’s frantic slashing and shaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just us,” Pidge murmured. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith let out a shuddering breath and stopped, staring around at the others before sinking back to his spot in the circle, shaking against Lance’s shoulder. Something inside Lance shattered, staring into Keith’s swollen, bloodshot eyes, and he had to look away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Another varga, and Lance had fully accepted death by asphyxiation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sound off,” he said dully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pidge here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allura.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am… Hunk.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith was silent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s the point?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wonder how Matt is doing. And my mom,” Pidge sighed.   </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Better than us, hopefully,” Allura said grouchily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My dad- my dad always said he’d been in some dire situations-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Keith interrupted, “He doesn’t… seem the type.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh- you have a lot of nerve questioning someone's leadership! Considering how you left us!” Allura snapped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allura-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well at least I understood when it was time to step down!” Keith retorted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You ran away to join the Galra!” Allura cried. “Our </span>
  <em>
    <span>enemies</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They were </span>
  <em>
    <span>helping</span>
  </em>
  <span> us!” Keith snarled, “And in case you’ve forgotten, princess, you were </span>
  <em>
    <span>dating</span>
  </em>
  <span> a Galra a movement or so ago, so maybe you should shove your racism back where it belongs: ten thousand years ago and completely obsolete, like the rest of you!”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>ran away</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Keith. Maybe you should have just stayed away,” Allura snapped. Lance whipped his head around, trying to catch her eye, but couldn’t see her. He looked over at Keith instead, about to beg them to stop fighting, but was distracted by Keith’s violet eyes, steely with anger. He wondered if this was the last time he’d see those eyes- glaring at him like they were about to rip him to shreds with the force of their gaze alone. He wished they would soften. Wished he could see them gleaming and fond, the way they had been the other night on the Black, when he’d admitted to remembering their ‘bonding moment’. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guys! Stop it!” Hunk cried, “I see what’s going on here! You’re all brave heroes who don’t know how to react to being scared, and you’re lashing out at each other. That or you’re going space mad- hopefully you’re just scared. But I’m scared all the time! I can talk you through it!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allura’s right, Hunk,” Keith spat. “I should go- leave you to your great heroic destinies.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Hunk yelled, and Lance tightened his grip on Keiths arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not, Hunk? Are we even really friends? Is there anything tying us together other than a messed up series of coincidences? We’re not some group of chosen saviours! What are we even out here for? What are we doing here?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What we have to!” Hunk insisted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance let go of me.” Keith snarled, trying to tug away. On his other side, Allura had let go, and was staring at him with eyes narrowed and fists clenched.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, guys- what is that?” Pidge asked. “It’s a light- like a planet!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all turned to look in the direction they were pointing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go!” Lance cried, hope filling his chest for the first time since this had all started, pulling the others towards the light. As they drew closer, he could see the contours of the planet- blue oceans and green landscapes, fluffy white clouds. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Earth!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We made it! We’re going to make it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop!” Hunk cried, blasting in front of them, holding out his arms. Lance huffed in annoyance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s the moon? How about the sun? The other planets? Something is wrong. This isn’t Earth!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hunk you’re just going space mad,” Pidge insisted, and Lance nodded. If Pidge said it, it had to be true. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s just go home,” he insisted, grabbing Hunks arm and pushing him towards Earth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not Earth!” Hunk shouted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just trust us, Hunk, you’ll see when we get there!” Allura told him. Hunk grunted, struggling against them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me go!” And then he’d ripped out of their grasp and somersaulted away. Lance was tired. He just wanted to go home. Let Hunk find his own way. He was so focused on his goal that the beam of orange light from Hunk’s cannon almost decapitated him, landing on (on?) the planet with a thunk. Slowly, the image faded and wavered, and was replaced by a giant, unblinking blue eye. The eye was attached to a massive creature that reminded Lance of a stingray. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh shit,” he groaned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hunk was right,” Keith said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He saved us!” Pidge exclaimed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here it comes!” Hunk warned them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature's jaw opened revealing row upon row of giant teeth. Lance activated his jetpack and bolted away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s hunting us!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do we do? We can’t even use our bayards out here!” Allura cried. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hunk, how did you manifest yours?” Pidge demanded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Hunk called, “I just knew I needed to!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do we do?” Keith yelled forcefully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hunk looked down at his bayard, “I’ll buy you some time, get out of here!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” the other paladins chorused, but Hunk was already rushing towards the creature, shooting his blaster and shouting a battle cry. Lance reached out and snatched his ankle as he flew by, feeling Keith’s hand close over his own. He looked back to see Pidge clinging to Keith, and Allura with both hands wrapped around Pidges calf. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fire jetpacks!” Pidge cried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The jetpacks sent them tumbling through the air down the wing (fin?) of the creature, and Hunk went flying into Keith’s chest with the inertia. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you do that? I told you to escape!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would we want to do that without you?” Lance demanded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! We’re not going to leave you!” Pidge told him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re a team, Hunk, like you said. We’re sticking together,” Keith agreed. “And guys, I’m sorry about earlier. I was… I was wrong. This series of messed up coincidences did happen for a reason. They brought us together as paladins,” Keith paused, closing his eyes, “and they brought us together as friends.” He smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A surge of gratitude for the other paladins welled up in Lance’s throat, and he bit back tears. Before he’d even noticed, his bayard was in his hands, and he was calling out for the others, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, team! Let’s attack this thing from as many angles as possible so it can’t target all of us, understood?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Copy!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance was giddy with pride for his friends as he watched them attacking the creature, but it was so huge, and they were so small. After only a few doboshes, they had all been knocked away, huddled to the left of the creature and staring at it in defeat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s toying with us,” Allura realized. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance lifted his blaster, taking careful aim directly at the creatures eye and firing a volley of shots. It turned its head, and he groaned, realizing that had probably not been his smartest decision, but before the creature could reach them, a roar split through the silence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Red!” Keith shouted, and the Lion turned to him for a second before attacking the space-ray, Yellow, Blue, Green and Black in close pursuit. Lance could have cried (he might have, just a little bit, but no one needed to know that). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! You’d better run!” Lance cheered as the Lions drove the creature away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it might be running from that,” Pidge exclaimed, pointing to the now familiar crackle of electricity in the distance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t, though!” Allura gasped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We won’t,” Lance said. “Not this time. Get to your Lions! Hurry, and let’s form Voltron!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were flying into the center of the storm now, buffered and ragdolled by the force of the surge. Lance was holding his breath, praying he’d made the right choice, when his bayard key popped up. Without hesitation, he turned the key, and they shot forward, a massive pair of wings (jetpacks?) appearing on their back. They swirled through the energy surge, faster and faster until Lance’s vision went white, and then everything just… stopped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” Romelle asked, voice cutting through Lance’s splitting headache. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did something come try to kill us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance sighed, “You know it.”     </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>It wasn’t the arrival home they were hoping for. It was so far from that, Keith almost thought he must be dreaming. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But they were so used to fighting the Galra by now that they fell into their unexpected roles leading the charge against Sendak's forces easily, despite a few minor (major. So major. But as Romelle had pointed out, one thing the Voltron team was excellent at was moving on) mishaps regarding </span>
  <em>
    <span>Adam</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sam Holt</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hunks family</span>
  </em>
  <span> and the fact that their </span>
  <em>
    <span>planet</span>
  </em>
  <span> was now a </span>
  <em>
    <span>warzone</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Keith found that everyone seemed to be adjusting fairly well. And then they were back in battle again, facing impossible enemy after impossible enemy, and it was all so painfully familiar that Keith barely registered how wrecked he was- how he flinched whenever one of the other paladins came to close, how he hardly ate and slept even less, until finally it was over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was over, and he was sitting at Lance’s right hand as Shiro addressed a crowd that -compared to some of the crowds they’d faced in the last year (four years? six?) was relatively small and damaged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is a solemn day,” Shiro said, “It is a day to remember those we have lost, and the sacrifices made here on Earth, and across the universe. There isn’t one of us here today who hasn’t experienced the tragedy of losing someone close. It truly feels like a light has gone out in our lives, and that light can never be brought back to life- not with all the kindling in this galaxy, or any other. But our light, our fire, has not gone out. It is fueled by the memories of those we have lost, and the love of those we have gained. And so we must move forward, carrying the names of our loved ones with us, to protect that light for a future in which we can all live together in peace. Today is a solemn day, but it is also a day of hope. Earth has become a beacon of peace for those fighting against tyranny and oppression. We must spread that peace wherever we can, hold together, and hold strong, as defenders of the universe.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hunk flicked off the television, and Keith leaned back in his seat, sighing and closing his eyes against his growing headache. They’d all taken a bit of a hit in the fight against Sendak, but more so in the battle against the… thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was concussed, and had actually broken several bones in his foot and lower leg, as well as his collarbone. Lance also had a concussion, and as a result, they’d been spending a fair amount of time together in painful silence in a pitch dark room, trying not to breathe too loudly when things were bad, and fantasizing about all the films they were going to watch, all the sunsets and sunrises they were going to take the time to witness, all the fast food they were going to eat when things were good. Lance had broken a few ribs and torqued his spine quite badly, which had meant Keith had to feed him for a few days as he couldn’t move without extreme pain from the shoulders down. Keith had tried hard not to laugh at this development. Allura had the least damage with a broken arm and a deep gash across her thigh, which had forced Romelle and Coran to each donate a significant amount of blood to help stabilize her. Hunk had broken a few ribs and his leg as well, and had a minor concussion that brought him into Lance and Keith’s dark room for the first few days in hospital. Pidge was in the worst shape- they had actually punctured a lung, and broken most of their ribs in doing so. They had a hairline fracture in their femur, and were looking at at least three months in hospital. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The others -with the exception of Lance, who was only allowed to be visited by his parents and Veronica (who’d threatened the nurse)- were all reuniting with their families and loved ones. Shay had arrived a few hours earlier, and was sitting with Hunk on a sofa nearby. Pidge had just barely made it through the broadcast, and was now snoozing peacefully with Matt on one side of their bed and Colleen on the other, Bae-Bae the dog and Kosmo sleeping at their feet. Lance and Veronica were sitting next to Matt, and Allura, Coran and Romelle were arranged on cushy bean bag chairs on the floor. Keith was seated on Lance’s right, trying not to notice the tug in his chest every time the other boy smiled. Kolivan and Krolia had stopped by for a few days, but had left to continue their work with the Blades, apologizing profusely. Keith had insisted they go. He couldn’t bear his mother’s casual touches and worried glances anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Keith,” Lance croaked, “Dark room?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re on,” Keith replied, wincing at the echo of his own words, and followed Lance out of Pidges room, limping along on his crutch painfully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kogane!” A voice called out behind him. Keith turned around to see Griffin walking up to them, pretty brown eyes narrowed and focused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Griffin,” Keith responded coolly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Lance,” Griffin said offhandedly. Lance bristled visibly. “Kogane, can I… borrow you for a minute?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-” Keith glanced back at Lance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure whatever you have to say to him can be said in front of me,” Lance said almost childishly, folding his arms across his chest.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Griffin scratched his nose and flushed, looking down at his feet awkwardly. “I actually just… wanted to call a truce? I know we’re not really friends- and we never have been, but I… we’re both going to be on the ATLAS mission together, and I’ve always-” he laughed humorlessly, still refusing to meet Keith’s eyes, “I’ve always thought you were a great pilot. Even if I didn’t say so. So. Yeah.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith stared at him in amazement. “Sure, Griffin… truce,” he said slowly, looking the other boy up and down, trying to figure out if this was really still the same kid he’d punched in the face so many years before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cool,” Griffin said, shaking Keith’s hand briefly and backing away, staring over his shoulder at Lance with something like fear in his eyes. “See you around Kogane, General McClain.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith turned around, ready to chirp the hell out of Lance for ‘General McClain’ but the icy look in the other boy's eyes stopped him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You good, bud?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s just go,” Lance snarled, turning and marching down the hallway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A year went by so quickly when you didn’t want it to end. </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Part Two: Before ~ Chapter 6: Goddamn Lance's Family is Massive</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Part Two covers season 8 episode 1 to season 8 episode 13)<br/>Recommended viewing: Season 8 Episodes 2 &amp; 5 as I do not elaborate on the events that occur here in this story. (Again, have written this so friends of mine who haven't seen season 8 don't have to watch it to know what's happening)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Allura, uh, hi! Um, I was- erm- I was wondering if you- uh- wanted to go for dinner? With me- and my family I mean. Tonight,” Lance scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, feeling a flush creeping into his cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Allura blushed as well, looking over at Romelle uncomfortably. Romelle frowned and nodded, but Allura sighed apologetically. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I’m sorry, Lance, but I’ve already promised Romelle that we would spend the evening together- we need to stay close to Luca- the pilot-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Right, right! Of course-” Lance stammered, blushing even more furiously, watching as Pidge frowned and gestured wildly behind Allura’s head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Allura, we have no idea if or when she’s going to wake up! I wanted to make sure you got some rest tonight! If you want to go with Lance, please don’t say no on my account,” Romelle insisted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>Allura frowned at her, “I’m really sorry Lance, but I can’t back out of my plans. It would be-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“But I said it’s fine,” Romelle tugged on Allura’s sleeve. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“No. I would feel really badly. And I’m sorry, but I’m not straying far from Luca tonight. Just in case.” Allura smiled apologetically at Lance, who was already feeling crushing disappointment settling into his veins, along with something a little exhilarating -relief? He grinned back at Allura and Romelle, </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“It’s ok, you guys. But do try to get some rest.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Thank you for the invitation, Lance.” Allura tucked Romelle’s arm under her own and led the other Altean away down the hall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge pouted dramatically at Lance, who shrugged resignedly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I’m proud of you for trying, buddy,” Pidge said, clapping a small, calloused hand on Lance’s narrow shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah…” Lance replied slowly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You ok?” Pidge sounded uncharacteristically concerned, but Lance was already bolting away, craving the freshness of the outside air and less stiflingly pitying company. There was only one person he could think of who would not feel remotely sorry for him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m just going to go get some fresh air. Clear my head. I’m fine- you go be with your family,” Lance told Pidge, and headed off to find Keith. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith yanked his helmet off of his head and ran a sweaty hand through his hair before checking to make sure Griffin was still behind him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keeping up, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cadet</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck you, Kogane, be nice to me or I’ll take back my key, and you and that bike can walk home!” James Griffin answered, pulling off his own helmet and sliding off his motorcycle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right,” Keith drawled, allowing a small smirk to spread over his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You picked a nice route, Kogane,” Griffin nodded, looking around at the view. Tall dessert spires loomed in the distance, and the road peeled off into a steep sandstone cliff a few inches from Keith's feet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Had to make sure the view was good enough that you wouldn’t mind getting your ass whooped,” Keith joked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wasn’t aware it was a race,” Griffin answered, grinning crookedly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nice try,” Keith replied dryly. He tore his eyes away from the other boys' smirk and stared out at the view, trying not to flinch when Griffin rested his chin on Keith’s shoulder. “Thanks for letting me use your bike while I’ve been here.” He said, ignoring the warmth of Griffin's breath on his throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No problem. It’s nice to have someone to ride with.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith shifted uncomfortably, but Griffin didn’t move his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This has to stop, when we go back up,” Keith murmured. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Griffin slipped an arm around Keith’s waist and pressed his lips to a small bruise fading on the paladin's throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean it, Griffin. We can’t keep seeing each other.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Griffin stared at him, “You breaking up with me, Keith?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith turned in Griffin's arms, pushing the other boys' bangs out of his face. “I’m sorry, James. It’s been…great. I have a lot to thank you for, but I think we both know this isn’t going to be worth the battle of being in a relationship on the same mission.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean… I don’t know, Keith, I-” Griffin stammered guiltily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith looked over at the other boy, almost serenely.  “It’s ok. We both agreed this wasn’t going to be a long term thing-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d hardly call eight months ‘long-term’,” Griffin shook his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry if-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Kei- Kogane. You’re right. We already talked about this. It’s been fun. It’s done now.” Griffin leaned forward and pressed his lips against Keith's messily, heatedly, all desert sand and greed. Keith responded in kind, but pulled away after a few moments. Griffin stepped back, releasing his grip on Keith’s hips.   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Friends?” Keith grinned at the other boy.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, no, no no. You punched me in the face when we were fourteen. It’s arch-rivals for life.” Griffin grinned, taking Keith's proffered hand and shaking it firmly. “And, </span>
  <em>
    <span>paladin</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I’m going to beat you home!” He called, already sprinting to his bike while clumsily pulling his helmet on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like hell you are! Winner keeps the spare bike!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re on! I’m going to make you eat dust the whole way!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t, but Keith relinquished the key to his bike anyways.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith wandered through the halls of the Garrison, which was slowly emptying. It seemed like every member of the crew was spending the evening with their families and friends tonight. Krolia and Kolivan had left months ago- as soon as they could, really, to search the universe for more Blade members, so Keith was on his own. Shiro was eating with Adam’s family, and he tried to drag Keith along, but Keith… he hadn’t quite come to terms with it yet. That Adam was gone. He wasn’t sure how Shiro could face them. He wasn’t sure how he could stand in front of that memorial to light a candle every day and not break down. He had once, of course, when he first found out. Had burst into Keith’s room with wild eyes and something heartbreaking in the line of his mouth and chin. It had nearly killed Keith, holding onto his mentor- leader- friend- </span>
  <em>
    <span>brother-</span>
  </em>
  <span> as the older man cried into his shoulder until the wee hours of the morning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s so fucked up. I never got to say goodbye.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So Keith had said no, when the invitation came. Shiro hadn’t pressed it. He knew that Keith was grieving, too, and he didn’t do well with other people’s sadness suffocating him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Coran and Slav were the only people that Keith knew were staying in the Garrison that evening, but someone (Veronica) had introduced the Altean to weed, and Keith couldn’t handle Coran </span>
  <em>
    <span>sober</span>
  </em>
  <span> for long, so that option was out (not that it had ever </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> been ‘in’). He knew that Allura and Romelle were going out to have a picnic in the desert, because he’d helped Hunk and Romelle organize it earlier that morning. Well, ‘helped’ was a strong word; he’d approved Romelle’s outfit (the red leather jacket that had once belonged to Keith, blue jeans stolen from Pidge and a white shirt that Hunk had procured from his sister’s closet) and sampled Hunk’s cooking, but mostly he’d just provided Romelle with an ear to rant nervously into.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I totally didn’t frame it as a date so she probably doesn’t know that’s what it is, so I don’t know if I should ask her? Or just leave it? Or should I just tell her I’m impossibly attracted to her while we’re out there? Why did I </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> this!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>  Pidge and Hunk were both spending the evening with their families, and so was Lance. Keith was, predictably, going to spend his last night on Earth for an undetermined amount of time -possibly forever- alone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” he said to Kosmo, “let’s go find our last sunset, Kosmo.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The wolf grumbled, and Keith headed to the hangar to get the Red Lion. They ended up sitting on a hill not far from where Griffin and Keith had ridden their motorbikes earlier that day, perched high above the Garrison with golden light spilling over them like warm honey. Keith was frowning at the sunset, uncomfortable with how much it reminded him of the surges in the Abyss. He thought about his friends' families- their nieces and nephews and brothers and sisters, all grown up around them now. It was strange- to have aged almost six years in what had felt like three. He rubbed the Mark of Marmora tattooed on the back of his neck, thinking that he should have brought a joint or a drink, when he heard a clatter behind him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Man, you can be a real hard guy to find when you want to be,” huffed Lance, struggling onto the nose of the Red Lion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “Hey Lance,” Keith glanced over at the other paladin, and found his gaze caught on the freckles that had spread themselves over the other boy’s skin, the way he was lit up like some kind of bronze casting of himself in the evening light. Then he noticed Lance’s downcast expression, “you look… actually fucking morose, buddy.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks,” Lance rolled his eyes, sitting down beside Keith, “I asked Allura out . She turned me down.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit, dude. That sucks,” Keith sympathized, “I should have told you that Romelle had already asked her out for tonight- I would have if I’d known you were going to ask her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Romelle… asked her out?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah…” Keith replied slowly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like, on a date?” Lance asked incredulously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith stiffened, “Would that bother you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith.” Lance fixed him with a stern glare. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, sorry. Stupid question.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just… shit. I mean, I knew it was a long shot with her- I’m not royalty, I’m not even Altean-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith huffed out a laugh, “Listen, Lance, when you find someone- because you will, and even if it’s not Allura, it will be someone incredible-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance rolled his eyes and shoved his elbow into Keith's bicep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith pressed on, “They’re going to want to be with you because they like </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The annoying, stupid, Earth version of you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance chuckled, shoulders collapsing forwards slightly. Keith’s gaze followed the line of his collarbones up to his throat, to the slight smile that had appeared on his lips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You really think someone’s going to want to be with the annoying, stupid, Earth version of me?” Lance asked teasingly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Plenty of people already do, idiot. You’ve proved that on every alien planet we’ve been to- and here.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, well,” Lance shrugged. “Watching the sunset?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith noticed the abrupt topic change, but didn’t comment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Might be awhile before we get to see it again.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance sighed, shifting closer to Keith. “Man, I’m really going to miss this place.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s why we’ve got to end this war,” Keith looked out over the crooked landscape, the sky turning pink and gold above them. “And we’re going to do it with the Lance that's the paladin of the Black Lion.” He turned his attention to Lance, who was looking at him with glittering blue eyes and a soft set to his jaw. Keith hardly saw Lance’s face without tension carved into it anymore- it made him look his age. How old were they, now? He wasn’t sure that he’d ever known how old Lance was to begin with, but he guessed about seventeen; that had been over four years ago (apparently, though for Keith it was more like six), which made Lance twenty-one now. He didn’t look like he’d aged at all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Lance that’s always got my back,” Keith continued, letting his own face soften into a small smile, “and the Lance who knows exactly who he is, and what he’s got to offer,” Keith finished, looking fondly at his friend. Lance was looking at him with something like shock, or maybe awe? But he smiled when Keith finished his speech. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, Keith.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d say ‘anytime’, but… You gotta earn it,” Keith nudged Lance with his shoulder, and stiffened slightly in surprise when Lance dropped his cheek onto Keith's shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aren’t you going to be late for dinner?” Keith asked after they sat for a few minutes, watching the sky turn purple and the shadows creep like molasses across the desert. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit, right!” Lance leapt up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Want a ride?” Keith asked, grinning at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cometodinnerwithme!” Lance blurted, and Keith wrinkled his eyebrows, unsure if he’d heard correctly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean- uh- are you- do you have anywhere to go tonight?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith looked down at his feet, weirdly embarrassed about his lack of plans. “No, I don’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you want to come eat with me and my family? They’d love to meet you- my twin sister is kind of obsessed with you, actually. So is Veronica. But they’re chill! They won't be weird or anything, I promise.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t want to interrupt your last evening with your family,” Keith replied, softly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You won’t, promise. Just come,” Lance pleaded, and Keith dragged his gaze away from his feet so he could see the younger man's earnest face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok… Thank you, Lance.” Keith bit his lip, “I should go home and change, first, but Kosmo can take you home if you want.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?” Lance gasped, “That would be a life-saver, Mama McClain does not like tardiness!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Am I going to get in trouble?” Keith worried, and Lance shook his head, adding an eyeroll for good measure. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did I not mention that Mama McClain is </span>
  <em>
    <span>also</span>
  </em>
  <span> kind of obsessed with you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Conveniently forgot to mention that one,” Keith grinned, “Message me your address? I’ll be on my way in twenty.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cool.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith had quickly realized how much he had grown since leaving Earth upon his arrival, but although he had tried to update his wardrobe in the last year, it was still rather sparse. He yanked a burgundy tee-shirt and bluejeans out of his tiny closet and pulled on the black corduroy jacket he’d been wearing in place of his old red one for the last year, rolling the frayed sleeves up to his elbow- which unfortunately revealed the ugly brown fabric he’d messily stitched into it when he’d replaced the old lining. He hoped the McClain’s would be sympathetic to the difficulties of finding new clothing on what remained of Earth. He still looked a little shaggy, so he grabbed a rubber band and pulled his hair into a little ponytail, flipping the collar of his jacket to hide the dark blue tattoo on his neck. He’d never felt more unkempt than he did when comfortable, kind-faced Rosalda McClain opened the front door to reveal a tidy entry room and an even tidier Lance, dressed in pressed black jeans and a soft grey sweater, with a blue collared shirt underneath. Lance’s old clothes, Keith noticed with some annoyance, still seemed to fit him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come in, come in my dear, oh my, look at you! You boys sure have grown up since you left- you look lovely, doesn’t he look lovely, Lance?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance had made it to the bottom of the stairs and was staring at Keith with an expression that Keith couldn’t recognize, “You clean up nice, dude,” Lance said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Eloquent,” Keith teased, “Thank you for inviting me into your home, Mrs. McClain. It smells amazing in here!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone. Pay attention, there’s going to be a quiz!” Lance joked, gesturing to the living room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith smiled, and -in a sudden burst of inspiration fueled by asking himself ‘what would Lance do?’- offered his arm to Mama McClain, who laughed and took it cheerfully. Lance turned around to see what his mother was giggling at, and flushed bright red upon seeing Keith escorting her into the next room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Didn’t take you to be the suave gentleman type,” Lance hissed in his ear teasingly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Didn’t take you for the type to know what the word suave means,” Keith retorted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is Pop-pop-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Freddy, please,” Lance’s father shook Keith's hand firmly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know Veronica, that’s my sister Rachel, my brother Marco, other brother Luis, his wife Lisa, and the coolest niece and nephew in the universe, Silvio and Nadia.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nice to meet you all,” Keith waved awkwardly, “Thank you so much for having me in your home- I’m sorry to interrupt your last night with Veronica and Lance for awhile.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“None of that!” Lisa insisted, “Lance warned us you might be all apologetic. We’re not having it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Happy to have you, son,” Lance’s father said in a thick Cuban accent, clapping a hand over Keiths shoulder so exuberantly the collar of his jacket fell down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, sir,” Keith replied. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dinner was lively, full of stories and memories- mostly of Lance, but Lance piped in with a few of his own tales about the antics of his siblings. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...or that time Veronica mixed water with silt from the creek and told Lance it was chocolate milk!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Veronica snorted, leaning forward to catch Keith’s eye, “I still can’t believe he fell for that!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The whole table laughed, and Keith swallowed his bite of (delectable) sweet potato to answer, “I can.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance socked him gently in the arm, and the table exploded into another round of laughter that all sounded like Lance’s. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He told on me, of course, and then Pop-pop gave him ice-cream and I got none!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, Lance was always the baby of the family,” Marco added, leaning back in his chair, “it only took you coming to dinner to graduate him to the adult table- and honestly, we thought about just keeping him there and hogging you up here to ourselves, with the rest of the legal drinkers!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith looked back to where Rachel was sitting with the little kids in a too-short chair, and then up to Lance’s scowl. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m legal! It’s been three years here! And if I’m not, then Keith isn’t either!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah, just teasing you, bud,” Marco grinned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Technically, I’m two years older than you,” Keith put in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Warp space doesn’t count!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well then you’re still eighteen! We were in warp space for three years fighting Haggar!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance opened his mouth to protest, then shut it again with a snap.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were stuck in warp space before, Keith?” Veronica asked, and Keith inhaled sharply, steeling himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… yeah. I was. For two years- my time, anyways. For the other paladins it was only, what? A month?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Six weeks and three days,” Lance answered automatically, then blushed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow,” Veronica gasped, leaning forwards, “how did you get there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We were on a mission -Krolia and I- and we ended up having to pass through a quantum abyss. Time was… different there.” Keith clenched his fists under the table as memories of the abyss rose, unbidden, to the forefront of his mind. He startled when he felt a warm hand land just above his knee, grounding him. Normally he would have shied away from an unannounced touch, but Lance made him feel… safe. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d rather not talk about it, if that’s ok. It was really stressful for all of us,” Lance said, firmly, keeping his hand on Keith’s leg. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance never brings dates home- you must really mean something to him,” Rosalda said quietly to Keith, under the conversation of the others. Keith felt his face heat rapidly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, we’re not- I’m not his-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So how long have you two been together, then?” Lisa asked, and Lance ripped his hand away from Keith's leg and coughed, face burning just as red as Keith’s felt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re not- um- he’s not my- we’re not together!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh! I’m so sorry, I just assumed-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No- don’t apologize!” Keith stopped her, patting Lance on the shoulder jovially. He really wasn’t surprised, to be honest, given how close he and Lance had been acting all evening. Their friendship was still building, but they’d both grown up a lot over the last year, and they rarely bickered the way they had in those first weeks on the Castle of Lions now; their arguments were markedly more playful these days, and could easily be interpreted as flirting. Keith had definitely caught himself </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> flirting with Lance- it was too easy, because Lance would start it (that boy would flirt with a park bench) and Keith couldn’t resist him these days.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So… nobody special in your life, then, Keith?” Veronica asked, grinning in a way that Keith recognized from Lance’s many attempts to pick up alien girls over the last few years.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not at the moment,” Keith replied, taking a bite of his bread roll.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about Acxa, you guys have been friends for awhile, right?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sort of, but she’s… orientationally unavailable. You’re welcome to give it a try with her, though,” Keith grinned, and Veronica blushed, sitting back in her seat. Lance stared at Keith, jaw slightly dropped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A toast!” Luis announced, standing up and lifting his glass of prosecco, “To family. Though we may be apart after tomorrow, we’ll always remain close at heart. Family is forever.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To family!” the table echoed, and Keith shifted uncomfortably, but tapped glasses with everyone anyways. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith,” Lance said quietly, directing Keith to clink their glasses together before taking a sip. His eyes were bright with something Keith couldn’t name, but they pulled a smile onto the older boy's face nevertheless. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span> Keith and Lance were finally allowed to escape from half an hour's worth of “take cares” and “come back and visit as soon as you can” and “don’t be a stranger, Keith, you’re part of the family, now, you cheersed on it”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks for coming,” Lance said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks for having me,” Keith responded quietly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can’t believe you got Veronica to shut up,” Lance laughed, and Keith snorted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It wasn’t entirely unintentional,” he admitted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wanna go for a walk before we head back to the Garrison?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance led Keith down a darkened street, not saying anything, until they arrived at the nearby park. Upon seeing the place, both boys gasped. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Allura dragged Pidge, Leifsdottir, and Rizavi to the mall with her to find something to wear for dinner with Romelle that afternoon, chattering wildly the whole time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not sure if it’s a date? She didn’t specify? I want it to be- I think- should I just?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Quiznak, Allura, this is </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> not my area,” Pidge groaned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I asked Hunk, but he was busy!” Allura retorted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had quite an adventure finding an outfit, but the dazzling smile that Romelle gave Allura when she met her at the entrance to the Garrison that evening was worth it. Romelle had let her long blond hair out of it’s usual ponytails, and she was wearing- </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that Keith’s jacket?” Allura asked, startled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Romelle blushed prettily, and Allura felt her face melt into an awed smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes… he gave it to me. It’s too small for him now.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You look… stunning,” Allura admitted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Romelle just grinned, picking up the backpack Hunk had helped her load the food and a few blankets into, and grabbing Allura’s hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, I want to show you something.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They made their way through the city until they came to what once was a park, a circle of trees and dead flowers, with pretty lanterns placed around it at intervals. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It reminded me of the way you described the royal gardens in Altea,” Romelle told Allura, watching as the princess took in the space. “If it was alive, I mean.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes…” Allura replied. Romelle was right- the landscaping was oddly similar, although the plants were wrong. Summoning the deep well of energy within her, Allura pressed her palm flat against the trunk, and willed life into the tree. She followed the path of energy through its roots, connecting with the other root systems in the garden, and sent a wave of energy through them as well. Romelle gasped, dropping the backpack as little golden lights danced around the suddenly living garden, and Allura turned to face her, glittering and lovely in the golden light of the lanterns. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is nicer for a picnic, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s incredible- Allura!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Allura smiled, and helped Romelle to set up the food and blankets. They were halfway through the meal, chatting and laughing quietly, when Allura fell quiet, face solemn. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Romelle… I want to apologize. For what happened to your friend,” Allura said, hanging her head. Romelle suppressed a shudder at the memory of what had transpired just a few hours before. They had sat with Coran in silence for a long while after Luca flatlined, but eventually he had urged them out of the Garrison building, insisting they try to enjoy their last night on Earth. They had complied, agreeing to put Luca to the back of their minds until they could investigate further. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s all my fault the Galra used her,” Allura continued, and Romelle snapped her gaze back at the princess. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! Allura, it’s not your fault! And besides, if you had never awakened Voltron, you would never have found out about Haggar and the colony!” Romelle insisted, “And… meeting you is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Allura smiled, placing her hand over Romelle’s on the blanket. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me, too.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Romelle took a deep breath, gathering her courage, and reached out, running her thumb gently over the mark on Allura’s cheekbone, down her jaw, and into her long silvery hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Princess-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Allura.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Allura. May I kiss you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please,” Allura breathed, and Romelle extracted her hand from under the princess’, shifting her weight forward and catching Allura’s slim face between her palms. She stared for a moment, watching Allura’s eyelashes flutter, and then leaned forward, pressing their lips together with a soft sigh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They pulled apart, neither very experienced, both hardly able to breath anyways, and giggled. They finished their meal and curled together on the grass, Allura tucked up against Romelles chest while the other girl ran her fingers through the princess’ hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know it’s just the first date…” Romelle started softly, and Allura hummed against her sternum. “But, Allura, I love you.” Romelle waited for Allura to answer, but the princess had frozen, hand stilling where it had been running over Romelle’s waist, breath halting where it had been blowing warmly against her collarbone. Romelle took another deep breath and continued, “I asked you to come with me tonight because… well, all the other paladins have families and homes to return to once this war is over, but you and Coran have become mine. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span> are my family, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> are my home.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You truly feel that way?” Allura finally breathed, sitting up. Romelle followed, catching the princess’ elegant hand in her own and pressing the knuckles against her lips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“With every part of myself,” she replied. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Allura’s eyes were soft, but hungry, searching Romelle’s face. When their lips met this time, it was lingering, all give and take as they pulled each other closer. They were interrupted by a quiet gasp behind them, and pulled apart reluctantly to see where the noise had come from. Romelle spotted Keith and Lance first, standing on the walkway into the park. Keith looked like someone had just offered him the ultimate way to irritate Lance for all eternity, grinning madly at the two Altean women tangled together on the picnic blanket. Romelle looked to Lance, dreading the heartbreak she would surely find in his expression, but it wasn’t there. He looked as though someone had hit him very hard over the head with a wrench, but as the shock faded, he appeared content, fondly gazing at her and Allura as though everything was finally right in his world. Romelle started laughing, and Keith quickly joined in, followed by Lance. Allura looked around confusedly at them, but soon began to giggle as well, until they were all seated on the blanket -Keith having crouched down to try to quell his mirth and being tripped over by Lance, who was reaching to prop himself up on the other paladins shoulder. Romelle wiped tears from her eyes and looked up, only to yelp in shock as she came face-to-face with Beezer, who whirred and squealed metallically, displaying two arrows pointing towards each other and then a smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Lance gasped, pulling Keith and Allura under each of his arms, “photo!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Allura dragged Romelle into her lap, draping her arms over the other girls shoulders, and Romelle grinned at Beezer, who snapped the photo. Romelle, being closest, grabbed the picture, and smiled, holding it out for the others. In it, Allura was looking slightly down, gaze fixed lovingly on Romelle. Lance’s arms were wrapped tightly around Keith and Allura’s shoulders, and his eyes were cast over at Keith, who wore the ghost of a laugh in his expression, and had his purple-grey eyes halfway between Lance and the camera. Romelle was the only one actually looking into the lens. As the four of them grinned at the photograph, Beezer quietly floated away, leaving them to their moment of happiness.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Having Friends Has Made Keith Bold and Lance's Blood Pressure Can't Take It</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Alternate titles for this chapter include: Lance Pronounces 'Quiche' as 'Quickie' and Other Less Pertinent Events<br/>or Shiro is Never Going to Recover From This</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>If Shiro’s hair wasn’t already white this mission would have turned it by now. He was exhausted, fed up with Iverson trying to undermine his authority -though the Commander claimed he wasn’t trying to on purpose. He missed leading the paladins, who were all experienced and intuitive pilots (again, Iverson was making his life hell. If he could have kept Griffin on board to pilot the ship he would have) for intergalactic warfare. Tensions were running high aboard the ship already, and although everyone was getting along fairly well for the time being, Shiro knew a breakdown was imminent. Currently, Shiro was listening to Lance trying to guide the paladins through the missile barrage coming at them from a Galran pirate stronghold, and trying not to laugh at the panic on McClain and Iversons faces. ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>If they think this is bad</span>
  </em>
  <span>…’ he thought, shaking his head and ordering the MFE fighters into the fray. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Captain, we’ve found a human prisoner in the base!” Nyma’s voice crackled through the audio patch in the Atlas’s cabin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Secure them as best as you can and bring them up to the Atlas whenever possible,” Shiro commanded, and turned his attention back to the battle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll send him back in a pod as soon as the base is secure,” Nyma replied, and disconnected her audio.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does anyone have eyes on those lasers!” Shiro shouted, stabilizing himself on the helm as the ship shook violently. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He’d forgotten about the human prisoner they’d recovered until they finally arrived back on the ship that evening, and Keira -the doctor on board- told him that the man was feeling fairly well and had asked to speak with him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s lucky, really. He’s lost most of his right leg and has a lot of nerve damage in his right arm, but they’ve given him state-of-the-art prosthetic for the leg and a semi-prosthetic like nothing I’ve ever seen for the arm. I suspect they’ve just been holding him for awhile as there doesn’t appear to be much recent damage,” Keira explained, “He says Sendak took him prisoner in one of their first passes over Earth, but I don’t recognize him so it really must have been in the first few months of the occupation- before I was at the Garrison.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I might know him, then,” Shiro nodded, absently checking his com. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s just in here, for now, we’ll have to find him a bunk later.” Keira gestured to the med bay, letting Shiro through the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Glad to see you’re up, I’m Captain Shirogane, but you can call me Captain, Shirogane, or just Shiro- whatever is comfortable,” Shiro said to the back of the man sitting on the bed. He had curly, tawny hair, hanging just a little too long at the back of his neck, and his shoulders were slumped and boney. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How about Takashi?” The man turned around, brown eyes filled with tears, a deep scar extending from the bottom of his ear to the bridge of his nose. Shiro’s chest cavity crumbled in on itself and he let out a sob, covering his mouth with his hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adam.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then he’d crossed the room and he was in Adams arms, running his hands over the back of his head and spine as if to make sure he was really all there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re here, fuck, Adam- I thought you were dead- they said you-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They said you were dead!” Adam gasped into his shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your leg-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your arm-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Your</span>
  </em>
  <span> arm!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shiro stepped back, searching Adams' face, cupping it in his hands as Adam clutched as his forearms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought about you, every. Single. Day.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, I know.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t- I’m so-” Shiro gave up on trying to speak, pulling Adam to him again, carding his fingers through his hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Takashi,” Adam whispered into Shiro’s sternum. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never stopped loving you,” Shiro said, emotion clogging his throat, “And if you’ve moved on- if you don’t feel that way, anymore, I understand, and I won’t stand in your way but-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shiro felt his heart sink all the way to his feet and begin to melt onto the floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought about you, all the time. Every hour of every day. I wanted to tell you so badly- I- it’s been my biggest regret. I need you. I love you, so much.” Relief flooded him, and Shiro clutched Adam tighter. Adam shuddered under his hands, and Shiro sank carefully to one knee, keeping his hands on Adam the whole time, running them down his back and along his legs until they came to rest on his knees. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was going to ask you to marry me, you know, when I got back from Kerberos,” He said, grabbing Adam’s hand and clumsily playing with his fingers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>  “I-” Adam stared at him, eyes wide and searching. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I still want to,” Shiro said, and Adam reached out with his free hand and pressed their lips together. He tasted like home. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith was arguing with Lance when Shiro walked into the lounge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance, you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>bilingual</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you know about latin based languages- you speak one! How the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span> do you think quiche is pronounced ‘quickie’?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cuban spanish is different from European spanish!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Still</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guys!” Shiro called, and both boys looked up guiltily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aw, come on Shiro, this was a good one,” Pidge complained from their seat. Keith shook his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Guys.” Shiro said again, and Keith suddenly noticed that he looked like he’d been crying, and his hair was messier than usual. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I want you to meet someone,” Shiro said, smiling, and opened the door so another man could step through. “This is my fiance-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Adam!” Keith nearly whimpered the word, but he was too shocked to be embarrassed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Hey, bud- shit, you grew up on me, kid!” Adam said in astonishment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Officer Williams?” Lance gasped, and Pidge and Hunk stared at Adam in shock as Keith ran into the older man's arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Fiance?” Keith gasped once he’d pulled away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>Shiro smiled sheepishly, and Adam pulled them both into another hug. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Welcome home, my love,” Shiro whispered into Adam’s ear, just loud enough that Keith could almost catch the words. It did feel like home, fittingly, squashed between the two men who Keith believed were more deserving of finding love than anyone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance slammed his first down on the table in exasperation. “We’re not sending MFE pilots to check this out by themselves! It’s too dangerous, it has to be a Lion.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going,” Keith cut in, “That’s final, Lance.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Demanded Griffin, before Lance could protest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because I’m half Galra? I can interact with their tech, and I’m a damn </span>
  <em>
    <span>paladin</span>
  </em>
  <span> of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Voltron</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Griffin! I know what I’m doing!” Keith exploded, standing up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance, sitting on his left by the head of the table, flinched, and tugged on the older boy's sleeve. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why do you always have to do everything yourself, though, Kogane?” Griffin argued, and Lance couldn’t help but nod slightly. Griffin had a point there. “Is it because you think you're that much better than us? Just because you somehow managed to become a paladin of Voltron by fluke?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Griffin, Keith-” Hunk started, but Griffin shot him a withering glare. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, Kogane, I have a lot of respect for you as a pilot, but sometimes you can be a real idiot. I know what I’m doing, just let me go down there. It’s ridiculous. We’re trained for this, too, more than you are, actually, let us do our job.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have no fucking idea what you think you’ve been trained for, Griffin.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Get over yourself, Kogane. You’re still acting like a little boy with a big robot and an even bigger ego. This isn’t about your vanity project-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“All right, Griffin. You want to go down there? Go ahead. You think your training prepared you for the feeling of dread you’re going to have when you realize you’re on your own and there’s no time to call backup? You think your training covered how to tell any civilians that are down there that there’s probably nothing you can do to help them?” Keith spat, and Lance flinched again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith, dude-” Lance tried to put his hand on Keith’s sleeve, but Keith wrenched his hand away. Lance understood where he was coming from- understood the toll the war had taken on him, possibly better than anyone, but he worried that it wasn’t going to matter to Griffin. The last thing they needed was to make an enemy on their own ship. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith was snarling now, and Lance could almost see the Galra in him. “You think your training prepared you for the first time somebody dies in your arms? For when </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> are the one that killed that person? We have been </span>
  <em>
    <span>out here</span>
  </em>
  <span>, for three years, fighting in a war we have </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> had a hope of winning, until now. So don’t you fucking tell me whether I’m right or wrong, because you haven’t seen </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit</span>
  </em>
  <span> yet.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith- he might be right-” Hunk inserted gently. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He might be right, but he doesn’t get to talk to me like that. You don’t get to talk to me like that until you’ve led thousands of people away from the planet they call home as it explodes in the distance. You don’t get to talk to me like that until you’ve broken the news to a group of five or six people that they’re the only ones left of their species.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ve all been through shit, Kogane,” Rizavi snapped. “Commander McClain, can you </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> something about this? We don’t have time for in-fighting.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rizavi, stay out of it,” Griffin responded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have fought, and bled, and died, and killed for you, lightyears from home, without knowing if we would ever see our families again or if every morning would be our last. Try to remember that,” Pidge said calmly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pidge…” Hunk warned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just think it’s ridiculous that Kogane wants to go down there and jeopardize the entire fucking mission!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rizavi, I told you to stay out of it- Ke- Kogane. You going down there puts us all in danger. I’m going. I don’t care if it bruises your ego.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m trying to </span>
  <em>
    <span>protect</span>
  </em>
  <span> you, you asshole! Because you’re just a Cadet who isn’t even sure they ever </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be a pilot, trying to win a ten-thousand year old war that you will </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> have the sociopolitical experience or intelligence to understand. And Griffin, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>care</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You care too much sometimes. It’s a liability.” Keith snapped, and Lance stared up at him in surprise. It had been a long time since he’d heard him lose his cool on someone like that- probably not since the last time he’d lost it on </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lance</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck you, Keith,” Griffin spat, and Lance switched his startled gaze to the MFE pilot. He wasn’t expecting the use of the first name. Griffin and Keith may have been getting along surprisingly well over the last seven or eight months, but they’d never been on a first-name basis. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought you normally liked it the other way around,” Keith replied, voice suddenly silky smooth and cold. Lance snapped his gaze back to the Reds’ paladin, searching the sardonic smile that had stretched across his face for a trace of the man he knew as his friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seriously?” Griffin gestured around the room, then turned on his heel and stormed away, flipping his middle finger up at Keith as he walked away. Keith collapsed back into his seat with a heavy sigh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit. That was…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> that, exactly?” Hunk asked gently. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith just shook his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Griffin is concerned, Commander McClain.” Leifsdottir piped up, “Sending any of the Lions would be a blatant advertisement to whoever could be down there that the ATLAS is here, and so are the rest of the paladins. It would put us all in danger.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m aware,” Lance replied, “he was right, really. I let my fear of sending a less experienced pilot on a solo mission distract me from that; but Griffin really shouldn’t have spoken to Keith that way- even if he is an idiot,” he said, nudging Keith playfully with his elbow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut up, Lance,” Keith said, but there was no heat in his words, “I need a minute,” he announced, and followed Griffin out of the room. Overcome with curiosity, Lance waited until the door was half closed behind him before standing as well. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well since Keith and Shiro are both soothing scorned smartasses-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Slav’s not a smartass, he’s just smart. And weird,” Pidge interrupted, pushing their glasses up their nose. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know how much soothing Keith’s planning on doing,” Hunk grumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fair. Anyways, I need a bathroom break, so let’s take a quick recess,” Lance said, hurrying out the door and following Keith's footsteps down the hall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kogane, come to ream me out in private?” he heard Griffin growl. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. I actually came to apologize.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You?” Griffin scoffed, “Keith Kogane, apologizing.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re all tired and stressed out, and I let it get the better of me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Well. It happens.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was a low blow back there, I owe you one.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You owe me a blow? I’ll take that apology,” Griffin joked, and Lance inhaled sharply, shocked that the other pilot would talk to Keith like that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I know,” Keith was practically purring, and Lance narrowed his eyes, feeling inappropriately aroused and a little sick. So the vision they’d seen in the abyss had come to pass in this reality- at least in some shape or form. Lance tasted jealousy, metallic and sweet under his tongue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But we can’t. We agreed that this wasn’t carrying on once we left Earth, and frankly, James, I’m way too exhausted to blow you right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Griffin </span>
  <em>
    <span>-James-</span>
  </em>
  <span> laughed, and Keith snorted as well, before adding “I came to say sorry, and that you were right. You need to take this mission. And Lance agrees, but I just… wanted to make sure we’re good.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, Keith.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance didn’t stick around to be discovered by the two men when they decided to return to the meeting room. He hurried away, mind whirring. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance had been well and truly gone over Keith Kogane for… well, years, if he was being honest. He’d tried to ignore it, thrown himself at every pretty girl he could find just to convince himself that Keith was just a phase of his early teen years (he’d tried pretty boys, too, but eventually he realized that every guy he found attractive looked too much like Keith for comfort). When Allura fell out of the pod and into his arms, Lance had been stunned by her- he’d even convinced himself that he really did love her. She was smart, beautiful, tough, and had a firm concept of justice. She had a dry sense of humour that covered up a secret love of ridiculous puns, a diplomatic, serious outer persona that hid a heart of gold. She was selfless, fiercely protective of her found family, had a strong tie to her lineage... and all these things that Lance loved about her were all the same things that attracted him to Keith. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d realized just how completely fucked he still was the last evening on Earth, when Keith had told him that he was annoying and stupid. Still, Lance knew that that teasing remark, coupled with the previous statement (“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Lance, when you find someone- because you will, and even if it’s not Allura, it will be someone incredible”</span>
  </em>
  <span>) which implied that Keith though </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lance</span>
  </em>
  <span> was incredible, had sounded more like ‘I love you’ than hearing those three coveted little words from anyone else in the galaxy -even Allura- ever would. And Lance had stared at the inky black hair tumbling gracefully over Keith’s ridiculous eyebrows and into his stupid grey eyes and had forgotten how to fucking breathe. And it </span>
  <em>
    <span>sucked</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And it sucked especially bad when Keith had walked in the front door with his sleeves all rolled up and the hint of a tattoo peeking out from under his right cuff (Lance still hadn’t had the courage to ask what it was) and his hair pulled back and his smile so genuine and perfect. Lance had almost passed out when he saw his mother cheerfully allowing Keith to walk her into the livingroom on his arm like they were in some kind of historical drama, and Keith had bloody </span>
  <em>
    <span>smirked</span>
  </em>
  <span> at him. And it kept sucking, but at least Lance could hide behind the crush he thought he had on Allura in order to avoid confronting the older boy about his feelings. Until now, when it was so obvious that Keith had slept with Griffin- had </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucked</span>
  </em>
  <span> Griffin (‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>James’</span>
  </em>
  <span>). Had</span>
  <em>
    <span> sucked him off</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Until now, when Lance felt a bitter surge of jealousy overtaking him that he had never felt with Allura- even when Lotor was around. Lance made his way back to his seat without making eye contact with anyone, and sat quietly through the rest of the meeting, ignoring Keith’s questioning gaze and Hunk’s concerned one. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance managed to avoid Keith for the rest of the day -training and running over plans with Shiro for their mission the following day- but he couldn’t escape seeing the other boy that evening. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance- can I talk to you?” Keith grabbed his attention as he was heading to his bunk that evening, and even if Lance had thought of an excuse, the earnest look in Keith’s violet grey eyes would have knocked it out of his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure, what’s up?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh- in private?” Keith replied, looking around the hallway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah, course. My room or yours?” Lance forced himself to be normal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mine’s closer but whatever you prefer,” Keith replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, dude,” Lance managed, following the other boy down the hall. Keith ushered him into the room first, allowing Lance a moment to look around. It was predictably sparse- a few photographs taped on the walls and three tablets and a stylus sitting neatly on a tiny table. Keith’s knife was sitting on the bedside table next to a cup of water, and his jacket hung on the partially open closet door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mind if I change?” Keith asked, and Lance blushed furiously red. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, go for it,” he replied, staring at the photos to distract himself from Keith stripping his uniform off behind him. He caught a glimpse of a pale, scarred calf, a long thigh- and Allura, grinning at him from a copy of the photo Beezer had taken of them on their last day on Earth. There was one of Keith and Shiro, both grinning into the camera, another of Kolivan and Krolia which looked like a professional shot, likely done for a newspaper. There was a few of the whole team in various ridiculous situations; one of Lance, Keith and Hunk in the kitchen, Lance and Pidge yelling at a videogame, Lance, Allura and Coran dressed up for a costume party on Earth (Lance was wearing a long silver wig and painted on Altean marks, Allura a bright orange mustache, and Coran was dressed in fake blue paladin armour). Lance looked up to see if Keith was done changing, and saw his full tattoo for the first time. It was a lion (a real one, not a robot); beautifully detailed in black lines and shading, surrounded by constellations and planets, stretching from Keith’s shoulder to halfway down his forearm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whoa,” Lance blurted, reaching out and grabbing Keith's arm to look closer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh- oh, you haven’t seen that yet?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve been wearing long sleeves for training and we haven’t been swimming lately,” Lance joked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You like it?” Keith asked, twisting his wrist out of Lance’s grip so he could hold his arm more comfortably and still allow Lance to study the tattoo. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s amazing. Didn’t it hurt?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not really. The longer you go the more it hurts but… I’ve had worse.” Keith smiled gently, and Lance finally noticed the scars, hidden under the ink. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are those… where did those come from?” Lance asked carefully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith sighed. “The abyss was hard. It felt… like purgatory, kind of. Sometimes I forgot that I was alive, y’know? It felt like I was never going to… exist again.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance dragged his gaze from Keith’s arm, blinking as he processed what his statement could mean. He noticed a deep scar on Keith’s shoulder, another one across his ribs and a smaller one over his pectoral muscle. He hated that he couldn’t remember where they’d all come from, even though he must have seen some before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You mean… you </span>
  <em>
    <span>made</span>
  </em>
  <span> those.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith sighed, not meeting Lance’s eyes, “The first one was an accident, but it reminded me that I was real. That I was living, and that I could feel things, before. That I felt anger, and fear, and pain and… love, too.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck, Keith. Fuck.” Lance sighed, running his thumb over a raised band of scar tissue. “Can I hug you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith huffed out a laugh, and allowed Lance to draw him into his arms. Holding Keith against his chest felt exactly how Lance hoped it would: </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Perfect. Wonderful. He could feel more scar tissue under his hands across Keith’s back, but he could also feel Keith’s breath on his shoulder, and the tight muscles of his arms wrapped around Lance’s waist. Quiznak, it had been so long since he was allowed to touch Keith like this- casually, like it was easy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you think about us? While you were gone?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course.” Keith pulled away, turning to the closet and pulling out a worn blue tee shirt. He yanked it over his head and Lance groaned internally at the sight of his back muscles stretching and contracting under his skin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you think about me?” Keith asked, turning back to Lance and fluttering his unfairly long eyelashes teasingly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Every day,” Lance answered honestly, sitting down on Keith’s bed and grinning at the slight blush that appeared on Keiths cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Every day? Really?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I counted them,” Lance admitted. “Not because I like you, or anything.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Right</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Keith grinned predatorily. “Just because you missed me chirping you? Or losing at sparring with me? Or my incredible good looks-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>left</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Keith. To join the Blade! You’d already left, and we all already missed you, and then you were </span>
  <em>
    <span>gone</span>
  </em>
  <span> gone and nobody could contact you for almost two months!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith sobered instantly, sitting beside Lance on the bed and rubbing the back of his neck with one hand, “I’m sorry. I wanted to be back the minute I left. But joining the Blades was something I needed to do. To understand who I was- who I am.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I get it,” Lance sighed, “I just hope you know that we missed you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I missed you, too.” Keith replied, and Lance fought the urge to embrace him again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What did you want to talk about?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, right. I just… wanted to make sure everything is ok between us? You’ve been acting a little off since this morning and I-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I heard you and Griffin talking in the hallway,” Lance blurted, looking down at his shoes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, but, really? You don’t even like him!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith leaned back on his hands beside Lance, and his voice came from behind the other boy now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s not so bad, really. Once you get to know him. You didn’t like me, at first, and now look at us! You’re one of my best friends, Lance; we make a great team.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If only he knew how wrong he was about the ‘not liking him’ thing, Lance thought. Had Griffin been secretly lusting after Keith this whole time, too? Had Keith been lusting after Griffin? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. We do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And yeah, you’re right. Griffin is attractive, but personality-wise… He makes me </span>
  <em>
    <span>more</span>
  </em>
  <span> tense. According to Shiro- and you, if I remember correctly- I need to </span>
  <em>
    <span>relax</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” He drew out the word languidly, rolling it off his tongue like a marble. Lance wanted to catch it in his own mouth, just to see what it tasted like.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You do!” Lance insisted, lifting his head to meet Keith’s gaze. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that all? You just wanted to make sure I wasn’t dating Griffin?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well… no, I mean, I guess I just felt bad about eavesdropping on you without you knowing… it sounded… personal.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>“It’s just sex,” Keith shrugged, mouth quirked in a little half smirk that Lance </span><em><span>hated</span></em><span>. “Eavesdrop away, if that’s what you’re into,” And then he </span><em><span>fucking</span></em> <em><span>winked</span></em><span>. </span></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. You're Gonna Need Your Right Hand Man Back</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Is that a Hamilton reference? Absolutely. Is that the last one I'll be making? Absolutely not.<br/>CHAPTER TAGS: mildly graphic depictions of violence, loss of limbs, panic attacks/PTSD reactions</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>They had barely touched down on the planet which housed the base of Warlord Lahn (Hunk’s friend? Apparently, although Keith didn’t remember him, and he seemed miffed about the title anyways) when the odd signal started sounding through their radios. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Just once, I want things to be easy,” Pidge groaned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Are you saying taking down my entire base, compromising my troops, and bullying me into rejoining the coalition was easy?” Lahn spat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“No,” Pidge deadpanned. “That’s my point.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“What is that saying?” Hunk asked, listening to the unfamiliar words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yordam bering exus,” the voice on the comm droned metallically. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a distress signal built into the sentries,” Lahn responded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll try to triangulate it’s position,” Pidge sighed, bringing up the comm signature. “Do you recognize this ship?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, it’s </span>
  <span>Klytax V-Three,” Lahn told them, voice laced with confusion. “I sent it on assignment six phoebes ago, but they all disappeared. We assumed they were dead.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Looks like you were wrong,” Lance shrugged. “Shiro, how long before the ATLAS is ready to get out of here?”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re not seriously going after them?” Allura said, and the others all turned to her with quizzical expressions. “Well it’s just- they’re Galra, they’ll probably attack us the moment we get in range!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Allura… that’s our job?” Hunk replied slowly. “Defenders of the universe and all that?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right, right, you’re right,” Allura sighed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The ATLAS won’t be ready for a few hours,” Shiro told Lance, “We still need to process all the Galra, and prepare the planet to continue operating on its own.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then we should go,” Keith said, and Lance nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Voltron will go. But Lahn, you’re coming with us. No need to fight any more than we have to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lahn groaned, and Lance just rolled his eyes, grinning as he sarcastically bowed the warlord into the cockpit of the Black Lion. Keith bit his lip to avoid laughing, and also because Lance had taken to wearing the Black paladin armour, and it… did things to Keith. Horrible, no good, incredibly distracting things like imagining how pretty Lance would look pressed between Keith and the nearest wall- </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So what was this ship's mission, anyways?” Lance asked Lahn as they shot through a forest green nebula, voice cracking too loud over the radio. Keith winced and turned his signal down slightly.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Acquiring munitions.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Were you buying or stealing them?” Allura asked acidly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Galra Empire is at war with itself,” Lahn snapped, “We do what we have to in order to survive. But if you must know, we were gathering them from an abandoned base.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Allura, leave the man alone,” Keith sighed, tired of Allura’s prejudice today (everyday, really, but he’d gotten so used to it by now, and it wasn’t worth fighting her over).</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> They finished the journey in silence, and despite not finding any signs of life in the field of metal and single intact ship they encountered, Lance ordered the paladins and Lahn to enter the remaining ship on foot. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Carefully!” He insisted, “Say alert, and stick together- that means you, Keith.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s never my fault!” Keith protested, but took the opportunity to stick close to Lance’s side anyways. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge and Hunk ended up in the control room with Lahn, hacking into the security system to try and find the source of the signal, while Lance, Kosmo, Keith and Allura searched the darkened ship. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The escape pods are still here,” Keith pointed out as they floated past. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everyone is gone, but nobody escaped in one of those things- creepy,” Lance shuddered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Allura was falling behind, checking empty doorways and looking under broken bits of metal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going this way!” She called to the other two, pointing down a narrow hallway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We should really stick together-” Lance protested. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll cover more ground this way!” Allura replied. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Take Kosmo, then,” Keith told her somewhat begrudgingly, and she nodded once, tersely, before whistling for the wolf, who followed her down the hall with a reluctant whine. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith and Lance followed the main hallway down into the belly of the ship before they started to see any real damage. They’d heard Allura exclaiming over rotten food goo and scraps of what was once the kitchen a few minutes earlier, but nothing could have prepared them for the giant holes melted in the walls. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quiznak- what could have done this?” Keith wondered, and both men jumped as something clanged loudly in the distance. They followed the sound cautiously, gasping when they finally came upon its source: a sentry caught in the steel grip of one of the heavy metal doors, gashes that resembled claw marks racked around it’s body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guys, be on the lookout for a giant, deadly monster!” Pidge’s voice crackled over the radio, and Keith and Lance exchanged a pained look. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We think that’s what killed the crew. Avoid at all costs!” Hunk added. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh… ok,” Allura whispered. “I’m on my way back now. Hopefully it hasn’t seen me. It is </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite</span>
  </em>
  <span> large.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Allura seriously? What part of-” Pidge’s reprimand was cut off in the middle by a yelp and a zap. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Kosmo,” Hunk said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith peered down the hallway at the maze of dead sentries. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go,” he said, ushering Lance forwards. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you?” a metallic voice cut through the silence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh fuck-” Lance swore, jumping, “I’m Lance, Black paladin of Voltron- did you send the distress signal?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are the Galra?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Still on planet Ryker- why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Planet... Ryker…” the sentry croaked slowly, and there was a sudden flash of crimson light. Keith pulled Lance out of the way seconds before the sentry was being tossed directly at where Lance’s face had been seconds before. The two paladins stared into the wide, sharp toothed grin of the creature that had hurled it in shock for a moment, before both turning tail and bolting down the hall. A blast of light shot by them, melting the wall ahead, and Lance hurtled through the hole, just as the creature teleported in front of him, its giant, clawed hand raised above his skull. Keith felt panic rising into his throat as he realized Lance wasn’t going to be able to move in time, and without thinking, threw his arm up in front of the other boy’s face, yanking him back through the hole in the wall by his shoulder and screaming as white hot pain shot through his palm. Keith looked down to see that the creature's claw had sliced clean through the center of his palm and ripped out, creating a jagged hole from the center of his palm to about ten centimeters up his wrist. Lance had gone pale, and looked nauseous as Keith dry heaved, and shook, the shock quickly kicking in as Kosmo teleported them back into the control room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my quiznaking fuck,” Pidge screamed, retching and turning away from the tear, which was bleeding profusely now. Keith took a deep breath, and forced himself to stay calm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fucking Christ, Keith,” Hunk moaned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lahn was moving already, ripping away Keith’s glove and sleeve, ordering Lance to grab a first aid kit from under the control panel while the other three paladins choked down their horror and nausea. Lahn injected Keith’s arm with a freezing agent so Hunk could clean the wound and wrap it, choking and dry heaving the whole time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t pass out on me, Keith,” Lance ordered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure,” Keith said, staring at the ceiling, his eyes unfocused, trying to keep the bile in his throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guys?” Pidge said weakly, “Uh, the ship is moving towards Lahns base.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck this is all my fault,” Keith said, a sudden bust of clarity fighting through the pain. “Were you… uh… </span>
  <em>
    <span>gathering</span>
  </em>
  <span> those supplies from Warlord Ranvig’s base, by any chance?” he asked Lahn, who nodded in surprise. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Unbelievable. Shit,” Keith muttered, floating onto his back and then upside down. The blood running to his head was helping him think more clearly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you elaborate, please?” Lance hauled Keith upright.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That thing is a superweapon- it’s one of the experiments we found Honerva’s quintessence in during the early days. It’s designed to kill Galra, and only Galra.” His head was going foggy again, and he couldn’t quite remember what they were talking about</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why would Ranvig create such a thing?” Lahn demanded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And what about your hand?” Allura added, looking over at Keith and blanching at the amount of blood already staining his bandage. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He was protecting me, the idiot,” Lance grumbled, tugging Keith down from where he had been attempting to surreptitiously float upside down again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Krolia and I freed it to escape his ship…” Keith managed to remember, though the patterns the light was making on the walls were much more interesting than his story right now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance glanced over at Keith and winced. “Pidge, can you initiate self-destruct protocol on this thing? We need to destroy this ship and the monster- now!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll have two dobershes to leave once I do,” Pidge affirmed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Two hours? That’s so long!” Keith mumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Two minutes!” the others chorused, and Hunk was wrapping an arm around Keith’s waist. Keith flinched, but couldn’t pull away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you activate your jetpack, Keith?” Hunk asked, and Keith nodded, activating the pack fairly easily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go!” Pidge yelled, but as they bolted for the door a loud zap echoed through the room, and the thing reappeared, snatching Kosmo out of the air and flinging him into the wall before Pidge caught him and led the charge out of the door. The wolf yelped on impact, and remained still in Pidges arms, breathing laboured. They shot through the door, but before Lahn and Lance could get through, it closed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck!” Lance shouted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hold tight, I can override the system- what? He’s blocked me out!” Pidge cried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We can weaken the door with our blasters-” Keith mumbled reaching out to slam his fist against the metal. He loved having this prosthetic arm- he couldn’t feel it at all!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hunk grabbed his wrist, firing at the door and holding Keith still simultaneously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey!” Keith complained. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Move away from the door!” Lance yelled, and the spot they had been weakening with their bayards melted it into a pool of red hot metal as Lahn and Lance shot through the hole. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sixty ticks!” Pidge cried.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go!” Lance shouted, leading the way down the hall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Twenty ticks!” Pidge cried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The cargo bay where we entered is the nearest exit point!” Hunk told them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll never make it!” Allura shouted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everyone grab hold!” Hunk yelled as the creature blasted through the door. The other paladin's hands were on him and Keith almost immediately, and Keith shuddered slightly as Kosmo teleported them all into open space. Keith was in free-fall for just a moment before Red snapped him, Kosmo and Lahn up in her jaws. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did everyone make it?” Lance croaked over the radio. “Sound off.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Allura.” Allura groaned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hunk.” Hunk panted with a hint of annoyance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pidge,” Pidge said wearily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith,” Keith almost whispered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re here too- the starslinger wolf and Lahn.” Lahn grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith how’s your hand?” Lance asked, popping up on Keith’s video feed. Keith’s eyes wouldn’t focus on him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My hand?” Keith looked down at his right hand, which was a mess of gauze and burgundy black blood. “Great,” he said, and promptly passed out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>When Keith woke up, it was dark and smelled like bleach. He opened his eyes blearily and noticed a heavy weight across his thighs and another on his right side. For some reason, the touch wasn’t repulsing him at all- in fact, it was somewhat comforting. He looked over and almost screamed when he came face to face with Pidge, who was laying beside him with their head level to his shoulder, sleeping soundly. He looked down at his legs and saw that Hunk’s head and upper body were resting across his thighs, the sweet-faced boy was fast asleep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Keith?” Shiro’s low voice cut through the whirr of machinery and soft beeping of medical equipment around Keith, who was only now realizing that he was in the infirmary on the ship. Shiro was sitting at the end of his bed, awake, and Lance was propped up at the head of his bed to the left. Coran and Acxa were sitting by as well, both in an uncomfortable chair from the dining hall, snoring gently. Acxa was holding a juice box, which looked ridiculous in her calloused fist, and she was wearing a tee-shirt Keith recognized as Veronicas. Her arm was bruising at the elbow under a crisp white bandage. Keith noticed a similar bruise on Shiro’s arm and realized they must have had to draw blood- </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit, what?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“What happened?” Keith whispered.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“You passed out on the way back to Lahns base, Hunk had to tow you in. You lost a lot of blood.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wha- oh- my hand,” Keith felt a sudden spike of pain from his arm, and winced, trying to lift it up where he could see the damage. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith- wait- you’re frozen,” Shiro told him, noticing his struggle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But it hurts.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shiro sighed, resting his head in his hands, “Keith it’s- it’s phantom pain. You lost your hand.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith blinked at him, trying to process what he’d heard. He looked over at his arm, craning his neck, and his breath caught in his throat. His arm ended about an inch from the elbow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fucking Quiznak,” he swore, and the panic started to come, hot and fast and streaming down his throat like tar, blocking his airways. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith? Oh- oh buddy,” Hunk murmured sleepily, waking up and scooting awkwardly forward. “Breath with me, ok, bud?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s going to be alright, dude, I’ve already started on designing you the </span>
  <em>
    <span>sickest</span>
  </em>
  <span> new hand. We’re gonna get you through this.” Pidge pressed their forehead into Keith’s shoulder.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“It’s fine- I’m going to be fine. It could have been way worse- it could have been Lance’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>head</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Keith stammered, trying to even out his shaky breathing. He closed his eyes, trying not to hiccup, trying not to wake Lance. A large hand tangled in his hair, tugging his face to the left, and he opened his eyes just in time to see Lance smile at him, blue eyes downcast and tearful. A sob choked out of Keith’s throat, and he buried his head in Lance’s chest, reaching up with his good hand to hold the other man's wrist, keeping his fingers in his hair.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“You’re ok, Keith, we’ve got you,” Shiro murmured,  as Lance rubbed slow circles into Keith’s scalp with his thumb. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
  <span>It took a few days for Pidge and Ember to get everything they needed to put together a prosthetic for Keith. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I don’t want any crazy joints, Pidge- no! I said no to the detachable thumb as well- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ember</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I’ll keep them in check, don’t worry!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>Lance was a little worried. Thankfully, they hadn’t needed Voltron since the attack on Lahn’s base, and everything else he could (kind of) manage. He hadn’t really noticed how much Keith was relying on him until one morning a few days later, when Kinkade pulled him aside at breakfast to talk strategy for the MFE pilots next supply mission. He watched Keith walk across the dining hall alone, only to realize that for the last four days, Lance had been carrying Keith’s coffee for him. Keith stopped halfway across the room, groaning in frustration before carrying on to his seat, putting his tray down, and walking back for the coffee. Lance nodded as Kinkade explained their exit procedure, watching as Keith sat down and went for his tablet to read the headlines from home, and looked around, obviously noticing that he’d left that somewhere as well. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Missing your right hand this morning?” Rizavi grinned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Missing it every morning these days,” Keith replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I meant Lance,” Rizavi winked, and Keith flushed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance was glad they had all moved on to joking about it. He knew Keith was tired of grieving- even though Shiro had told him it was important to recognize what he’d lost- Keith had admitted already that he didn’t feel too badly about it. “Prosthetics are so good these days- give it a month or two and it’ll be like it was never gone.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Oh… yeah, Lance… he’s been a huge help,” Keith stammered to Rizavi, and hurried away to the training room, where Shiro and Acxa were sparring. When they had first started this ritual -the three of them- Acxa had been able to take on Keith and Shiro at once on a good day, but the two humans were quick learners, and they were now all fairly evenly matched. Or at least, they had been. Now Keith was resigned mostly to watching on the sidelines. Lance usually went with him, but waited to finish talking to Kinkade before he followed, only to see Acxa and Keith running through some drills (painfully fast, even with Keith’s injury) while Shiro supervised. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did they know each other before?” A voice asked behind Lance, and he whirled around to see Leifsdottir, watching the three warriors as they whirled around each other in an incomprehensible flurry of blows; Shiro had obviously decided that Keith was well enough to spar today. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They met in the belly of a weblum, and then we just… kept running into each other. You’ll have to ask them for the full story,” Lance replied, turning back to the fight to see Shiro slamming Acxa against the wall and swiping Keith’s legs out from under him in one smooth motion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Better luck next time, children!” Shiro panted cheerfully, and the three of them made their way over to where Leifsdottir and Lance were standing in the doorway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So Acxa, how do you and Keith know each other?” Leifsdottir demanded bluntly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Acxa fixed her with a blank stare for a moment before answering, “We met in the belly of a Weblum. Keith saved my life, I spared his.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And kept sparing it,” Lance added. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That wasn’t because he saved me,” Acxa huffed, and Keith rolled his eyes, hiding his face in his towel. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We don’t have to-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was because Lotor ordered us to keep him alive. That’s why I spared him in the Weblum, as well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lotor ordered… why?” Shiro asked, pausing in the mopping up of his brow to stare at Acxa. Keith groaned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lotor saw Keith take on Zarkon and survive when he was still a new paladin of the Red Lion. He was fascinated right off the bat. We knew he must have been… more than just human. It would have been incredibly unlikely for a mere human teenager to survive that fight.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But he lost?” Lance remembered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He </span>
  <em>
    <span>lived</span>
  </em>
  <span>. That was enough.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lotor wanted to recruit you...” Shiro said slowly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith scoffed, “Collect me, more like.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Acxa took a long sip of water and shook her hair out of her face brusquely, “Keith was exactly the kind of person and fighter that Lotor liked most: small, fast, technical, but with a desperate determination. And he’s young- he was even younger then. We knew he would grow to be a fiercer warrior than Lotor himself before he even came of age, with the right training. And after he found out he was Galra… well, Lotor could see the way he was no longer accepted by his team, never really welcomed by the Blades-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith cleared his throat, and Acxa broke off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It would have been a simple thing to Lotor to exploit that isolation, and bring Keith to his side. He would have been his right-hand man, the ‘crown jewel of his collection’, to quote your sister, General McClain.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You told Veronica this?” Lance blurted incredulously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She asked,” Acxa shrugged. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well too bad for Lotor, I’m already someone’s right hand. And last time I checked, Galra and humans only have two hands, and I’ve lost one, so I’m all out,” Keith grumbled, squeezing past Lance and down the hall. “I’m going to help Romelle set up the billiards table, are you coming?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance couldn’t tell who the question was directed at, but Acxa nodded, following Keith down the corridor. Shiro walked after him as well, pulling Lance along by one. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After setting up the billiards table and playing a few rounds (Shiro won all but one, when Lance finally beat him with one glorious shot that he wished they’d caught on video), they ended up in the lounge, drinking coffee and watching old Earthen TV shows. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you imagine being a cop in the early 21st century? Like the 00’s or the 10’s or whenever this is from?” Rizavi laughed. “Like 2009?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think, like, 2016?” Griffin murmured.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m pretty sure this is from around 2012,” Hunk said. “The tech is definitely post 2010, but it’s still pretty old.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, the picture quality looks more like the 20’s to me,” Kinkade guessed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bets?” Lance joked. “I’ll give my serving of whatever dessert Hunk makes next to the person who guessed right!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re on, McClain,” Griffin grinned, looking it up on his tablet, “Brooklyn 99 season 3, episode 12? Yeah, ok, it aired in… 2016!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck,” Rizavi groaned, “I wanted that food!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll share if you’re nice to me,” Griffin responded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, guys- this part reminds me of Keith!” Pidge snorted, and they all looked up as the actress on the screen held up a tiny labrador puppy, her face set in a determined line. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ve only had Arlow for a day and a half,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> she said, glowering,</span>
  <em>
    <span> “But if anything happened to him, I would kill everyone in this room and then myself.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance snorted, looking over at Keith, who was absently stroking Kosmos head as the wolf napped beside him on the couch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s accurate,” Keith rewarded the joke with a rare smile, and the room exploded into laughter. The door creaked open in the midst of their giggling, and a slim brown hand balanced itself on the doorframe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Takashi- oh, hello, everyone,” Adam stammered, slipping into the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Adam,” Shiro smiled warmly at his fiance, “Please, come join us!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>Adam walked over to where Shiro was sitting and yelped as Shiro pulled him into his lap. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you need something?” Shiro asked, smiling softly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, just came to see how Pidge is getting on with that prosthetic- Keira cornered me and told me to let you know that she would like to attach it by tomorrow afternoon, if possible,” Adam looked questioningly between Keith and Pidge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Works for me, it’s done, I just have to do some last minute calibration stuff,” Pidge nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah I’m good with that. I’ll let her know- thanks, Adam.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right,” Shiro sighed, running his hand through his hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “I’ve got everything I need,” Adam said quietly, smiling down and Shiro. Pidge made a gagging noise and Lance laughed as Adam threw a pen from his pocket at them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ow!” Pidge yelped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Serves you right, tiny gremlin,” Adam teased. The noise of their bickering roused Kosmo, who grumbled in annoyance and zapped away, presumably to sleep on Keiths bed where it was quiet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The couch cushions dipped and Keith adjusted beside Lance, curling up on his side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You ok, dude?” Hunk asked, and Keith nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tired.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance reached over, looking questioningly at Keith before placing his hand on the Reds’ paladins shoulder soothingly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The group fell back into easy conversation, arguing over which characters in the show were most like their own characteristics and laughing at the old technology.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quiznak, is it just me, or-” Lance broke off, and Leifsdottir looked at him quizzically. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your expression would suggest that something has gone suddenly wrong, but nothing has happened?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, it’s… Keith’s asleep,” Lance said quietly, grinning down at Keith. “This presents </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> many opportunities!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you going to do? Draw a mustache on him?” Griffin snorted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cut his mullet,” Hunk suggested. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He looks kind of sweet,” Kinkade mused, and Lance shook his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Enjoy it while it lasts, cause he’s going to be pissed when he wakes up with no eyebrows.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were all joking around about what they were going to do to Keith while he was unconscious when the dark haired boy began to shake. Lance didn’t notice at first, not until Keith twitched violently under his hand and let out a heartbreaking whimper. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly Keith was writhing and snarling on the couch, lashing out in every direction. Lance tried to grab him, hold him still, was murmuring nonsense at him like ‘it’s ok, Keith, please wake up- Keith-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shiro was up and out of his chair, leaping forward to try and help Lance keep Keith on the couch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Move!” Griffin ordered gruffly, leaping up and pushing Lance and Shiro out of the way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” the other two men chorused angrily, but Griffin ignored them in favour of kneeling in front of Keith, jaw set and eyes narrow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith,” He said firmly. “Keith, you’re on the ATLAS. You’re on the ATLAS, and nobody is here, nobody is touching you, nobody is hurting you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Help</span>
  </em>
  <span> him!” Lance cried, lunging forwards, but Griffin lifted a fist that caught him under the ribs and he stumbled back.</span>
</p>
<p><span>“Do you want to fucking</span> <span>make it </span><em><span>worse</span></em><span>?” Griffin asked, but his voice was calm, soothing. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>“No, but-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then you need to trust me.” Griffin glared back at him. “Keith, I need you to think about where you are. How did you get here? What were you doing before? Come on, Keith, wake up. It’s me, it’s James. I’m not going to touch you, I’m not going to hurt you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith groaned, peeling his eyes open and sitting up violently with a gasp. Griffin reached forward, grabbing his wrists and rubbing little circles against the insides of them. Keith was gasping, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. Lance was horrified- terrified, really, and he felt his own eyes growing hot. Shiro had grabbed his arm just above the elbow, and was holding on so tightly Lance felt like he might break his arm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everyone is here, and we’re all going to be really quiet, ok?” Griffin assured Keith, “You’re ok. I’ve got you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“James I-” Keith choked the words out and a tear slid down one of his cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve got you. You’re safe, Keith, I need you to breathe for me, though.” Griffin inhaled exaggeratedly, and Keith copied him, breath hitching in his throat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are you, Keith?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The ATLAS,” Keith croaked, and Lance realized he was shaking almost as hard as the boy sitting on the couch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right, and who’s here?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You, and Shiro, and Lance, Adam, and Pidge and Hunk, and-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, Keith, stay with me,” Griffin said, calm and insistent as Keith broke off into another cycle of gasping breaths.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rizavi and Leifsdottir and Kinkade.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good. Excellent. See, you’re safe, you’re here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How bad was it?”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Eight-five,” Keith mumbled, and Lance frowned, feeling a surge of annoyance at the closeness between his friend and Griffin despite his concern for the other paladin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Griffin looked around at the others, “Ok, we’re going to go get you in bed then, and everyone is going to get out of the way so that they’re not crowding you when we leave, alright?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Lance, move,” Pidge hissed, yanking Lance out of the way as Keith rose to his feet, wrists still held in Griffin's hands. Griffin slowly led Keith out of the room, and Lance saw that Keith’s shoulders were still shaking. Lance was still shaking, and he thought maybe he was crying. He lifted his hand to his face and felt that it was wet. Pidge was holding his hand, and their shoulders were tucked up around their ears. Shiro looked shell shocked- frightened in a way that Lance had never seen. They all stood, frozen, for a few minutes, waiting for something- anything to remind them that they could move. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>Finally, Leifsdottir stumbled back to her seat, and the entire room seemed to collapse. They all settled stiffly onto their couches and chairs, staring blankly at each other. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I’ve never- I never want to- I hate-” Hunk was stammering, wiping tears from his eyes, “I hated seeing Keith like that.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“That was awful,” Pidge agreed, and the others nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“He’s had panic attacks for years but… nothing like that,” Adam almost whispered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“He hasn’t been having them as far as I know- not since we left Earth the first time- well the minor one when he lost his hand but that wasn’t anything like what he used to suffer from,” Shiro revealed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“He had one when we were lost in space… but… not that bad,” Lance said shakily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Griffin!” Kinkade said, surprise colouring his voice, staring at the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Hey, everyone. I figured you’d all want to know how he’s doing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Uh- yes,” Shiro practically growled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s fine. He’s in the shower and then he’s going to have a nap. He probably won’t be out until dinner at the earliest. It wipes him out- the panic attacks, I mean. You’re all forbidden from checking on him, or asking him any questions for the rest of the day. He hates that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How were you the only one that knew how to help him?” Lance demanded, “Why wouldn't you let us get near him?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Griffin rolled his eyes and slumped onto the couch beside Lance. “Because you weren’t helping </span>
  <em>
    <span>at all</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You can’t touch him when he’s like that- it makes it worse. And you can’t shout, or freak out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When did </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> become the authority on what Keith needs?” Pidge demanded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When we were… dating,” Griffin answered, eyes flicking over to Shiro, who stared him down intimidatingly.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span> were </span>
  <em>
    <span>dating Keith</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Pidge and Hunk chorused, both leaping to their feet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In a manner of speaking,” Griffin responded, still watching Shiro carefully. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s an adult, Griffin, I don’t have any say over what he does, you don’t need to mince your words,” Shiro said coolly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, that might be true, but I still don’t trust you not to have me thrown into deep space without a suit if you think I hurt him- which, by the way, I didn’t.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, we would never assume that,” Adam snorted. “If Keith is still the same kid I remember, I’d suspect </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> probably screwed </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> over. It was good of you to help him,” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shiro narrowed his eyes in confusion at Adam, who smiled wryly at Griffin. Griffin crossed his arms over his chest and shifted his gaze away from the others. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re still friends,” he grumbled. “And we </span>
  <em>
    <span>were</span>
  </em>
  <span> dating, we just weren’t very official about it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Official enough that somehow you were the only one who knew what to do,” Lance said snarkily, and Griffin just smiled sadly at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Trust me, I wish I weren’t. I hate seeing him like that.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So do all of us,” Hunk said, reassuringly. “So what Lance is </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying</span>
  </em>
  <span> to say is ‘thank you’.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, right, thanks,” Lance grumbled, getting up and walking out of the room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance knew that Griffin had told them not to check on Keith- that it would annoy him, but Lance was used to Keith being annoyed with him, and every time he tried to sleep, all he could see behind his eyelids was Keith thrashing and whimpering on that couch. He padded down the hall, shivering in his tee-shirt and boxers, and knocked on Keith’s door softly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“J- Griffin, fuck off. I’m fine,” Keith grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s me,” Lance said quietly, already regretting his decision. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Keith said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance waited a few moments, but Keith didn’t say anything. He sighed, leaning his head on the door next to his raised fist. Then the door opened and Lance tumbled into Keith’s room, held up a few inches from the floor by one arm and the back of his shirt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quiznak,” he spluttered, “Keith you’re totally choking me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aw, Lance, you fell for me,” Keith said, deadpan. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance scrambled to his feet, staring at Keith in amazement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You- you made a </span>
  <em>
    <span>joke</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith just looked at him tiredly, violet eyes underlined with grey.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did. What do you want, Lance?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance flinched at the harshness of the words, shifting uncomfortably. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>I just.. I wanted to- I couldn’t sleep,” he said, staring down at the high arches of Keith’s feet. He’d never noticed before- he wondered if Keith had to wear insoles in his paladin shoes or if they adjusted automatically. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you… came here?” Keith asked blankly, rubbing his eyes with his good hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance crumbled, taking a few steps back towards the door and resting his head in his hands. “I’m sorry- Griffin told us you’d want us to stay away but I… I was worried.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith let out a pained sigh, and Lance heard the metal bed creak as the other man leaned against the foot of the bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine, Lance,” Keith said shakily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance lifted his head to see Keith was staring at his own bare feet, face flushed and gaze vacant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith was shaking slightly, but he nodded, looking up at Lance with the most exquisite pain in his eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Quiznak Lance was so gone over those eyes</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can- Are you ok?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be fine.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance took a few steps towards Keith before he’d even realized what he was doing, and stopped short. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, come here, idiot,” Keith grumbled, looking away again, and Lance exhaled gratefully, stepping forward and wrapping his hands around Keith's biceps, momentarily distracted by the way his fingers looked pressed into the pale muscle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry,” Lance murmured, pulling Keith into a hug, resting his chin in the shorter man's soft black hair. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I love you. Let me be here for you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It doesn’t apply to you, you know,” Keith mumbled against his chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The not checking in rule- unless you’re going to get all pitying like you are right now. If you can be normal, you can check in on me all you want.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?” Lance gasped, shocked that he of all people was the one Keith chose to allow into his vulnerable space. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith nodded against his chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You give a good hug, dude,” he joked weakly, and Lance laughed, tightening his hold and wondering if there was a way to hold Keith in the circle of his arms and never let him out. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Universe Owes Number Five an Apology</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Actually it's me. I owe Pidge an apology. Listen, kid, I'm sorry. Don't worry, we're all gonna suffer together as one soon.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The next day was full of Lion maintenance and strategy meetings, but that afternoon Lance managed to escape to play games with Pidge and Hunk for a few hours. Pidge was ruthless when it came to videogames, even when Lance had never played before and was still trying to figure out the mechanics. Usually Lance appreciated this confidence in his abilities -and the challenge- but he was feeling mentally drained from the meetings, worried for Allura and Romelle, who were trying to interrogate the Robeast pilot the MFE pilots captured a few days ago, worried about Keith, who’d had his first physio appointment with his prosthetic hand today, and he really wished Pidge would just chill for a minute. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, guys, it’s been fun, but this is kinda stressing me out right now. I’m going to go see if I can get some food and maybe have a nap.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cool, no problem bro,” Pidge said, adjusting their glasses, “If you need me, I’ll be here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll kick their ass for you, Lance,” Hunk said, taking the controller.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like hell!” Pidge responded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks guys.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wandered down the hallway towards the kitchen, but stopped when he heard voices. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Allura, wait! Are you alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so tired of this!” Allura burst out, and Lance ducked around the corner to see her standing in the corridor with Romelle, both of them pale and distraught. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, love, but we must keep trying!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He truly believes in Honerva, though. There’s nothing we can say that will make him think otherwise!” Allura cried, and Romelle reached out to grab her hands, pressing them to her lips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I wish I could- I wish I knew-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know.” Allura shook her head, “These Alteans are the key to unlocking Honerva’s plan, and they won’t speak to us. After 10,000 years, I finally discover that I’m not the last of my kind, only to be rejected by them!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They will come around! They must.” Romelle said soothingly. “You have done so much good, Allura, despite all that you have been through. You inspire me, and everyone on this ship, every day. We all believe in you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Allura leaned forward, burying her face in Romelle’s shoulder and whispering something Lance couldn’t hear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you, too. So much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Eavesdropping again, sharpshooter?” A voice hissed behind him, and Lance jumped, turning to see Keith smirking at him, still dressed in his workout clothes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shh! I just didn’t want to interrupt their moment!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on.” Keith rolled his eyes, leading Lance away from the Alteans. “Let’s run some drills.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Haven’t you already been in the gym for like three hours? And physio?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not with you, I haven’t. We’ve got to be a seamless team,” Keith insisted. “And this hand needs all the practice it can get.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance groaned in defeat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When you said ‘help with difficult leadership decisions and generally having my back’ I didn’t think it meant kicking my ass.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith just laughed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith was sitting on his bed, already in his blue tee shirt and grey sleep shorts, when Lance knocked that evening. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come in,” he called, but Lance was already halfway in the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What- why do you look so panicked?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I stole some dried fruit from the kitchen and apparently it was an integral part of both a recipe Hunk’s experimenting with and- uh- something weird and science-y that Slav is working on. Now they’re fighting over who gets to keep it when they find it, but I don’t want to be anywhere they can find </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> when they finally decide to start looking,” Lance explained, hopping over Keith and wedging himself between the older boy and the wall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not protecting you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But will you hide me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Only if you share the fruit,” Keith smirked, letting his eyes track the smattering of freckles over Lance’s nose. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you take me for, bro?” Lance grinned, pulling a packet of dried mango from his pocket. He leaned over to see what Keith was looking at, and Keith was too slow to close the sketchpad down. It was a drawing of Sam Holt, face lit up by his screens, frowning in concentration. On the other side of the screen was Pidge, grinning delightedly at the mirror image of their father. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whoa, this is insane! You did this with that hand- the one you’ve only had for like, six hours?” Lance cried, snatching the tablet. Keith’s face heated, so he grabbed the mango from Lance and busied himself with opening it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith! You made this? I thought you were a terrible artist!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m terrible under pressure!” Keith protested, “And I’m really not that good-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re incredible! ”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith just barely stopped himself from echoing the statement, then wondered how the hell he was going to get rid of this sudden affection for Lance. It was going to make him do something stupid soon, he could feel it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, but it’s not that great-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You designed that tattoo, didn’t you?” Lance gasped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will you draw one for me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?” Keith asked, shocked, staring into Lance’s wide, pleading eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure…” He wasn’t expecting the heavy arm that landed around his middle, but he patted Lances shoulder gently anyways. They shared the mango, chatting idly about nothing while Keith drew. Lance got up at one point to take off his Garrison uniform and change into a red shirt of Keiths and his boxers. Keith thought for sure he would go back to his own room, but he shook his head, proclaiming it ‘too dangerous’, and making himself comfortable back in his spot on Keiths bed. He slung his arm back around Keith’s waist lazily, as if it had always been this easy with them, and mumbled something about returning to his bed once he was sure everyone was asleep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pidge would totally rat me out just for the drama, you know they would,” Lance complained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, they would. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> appreciated the mango, though,” Keith offered, and Lance grinned lethargically. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I appreciate your protection, brave paladin of Voltron.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hiding. Not fighting Hunk </span>
  <em>
    <span>or</span>
  </em>
  <span> Slav for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You could take Slav in like- thirty seconds flat!” Lance whined, and Keith almost leaned down to kiss his creased forehead. Instead, he just frowned, and carried on with the drawing. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith woke up feeling unbelievably cozy and warm, like his entire body had been melted into honey while he was asleep. He opened his eyes blearily and peered down at his blanket, wondering why it was so heavy, and soft, and warm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then he spotted Lance, who had tucked his head into the crook of Keith’s neck and was breathing softly against his skin. Lance, who had sprawled out over Keith like he belonged there, both arms resting around the older boy's ribs, one leg splayed over Keith’s hip and tangled between his thighs. Keith was </span>
  <em>
    <span>holding</span>
  </em>
  <span> him there, tenderly, like he’d done it on purpose- prosthetic hand twisted in Lance’s mocha coloured hair (he could feel how soft it was though- Pidge and Keira really had created a miracle of science with this hand), the other resting under his red shirt, stark and pale against Lance’s bronze skin. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance,” Keith struggled under Lance’s weight, trying to roll the other boy into a less compromising position, but Blacks’ paladin was </span>
  <em>
    <span>heavy</span>
  </em>
  <span> (and taller than Keith- not that he’d ever admit it). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mhmm five more minutes, and then we can go to breakfast,” Lance mumbled. Keith was really hungry, and he was going to be late for training with Acxa and Shiro if he didn’t get up soon. He jammed his finger into Lance's side, and the younger man groaned angrily, burying his face into Keith's neck and holding on tightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance, get up, I have to piss,” Keith insisted, and Lance mumbled something incoherent against the sensitive skin of his throat. Keith shivered, and poked Lance’s ribs again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Get up, asshole!” He grumbled, and felt Lance finally peel his eyes open, eyelashes fluttering against the soft spot under Keith's ear.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, fuck! I’m so sorry dude! I’m- wow- ok- I’m so sorry!” Lance scrambled back away from Keith, getting tangled in blankets and Keith's limbs until he stumbled out of the bed, knocking Keith’s tablet to the floor in the process.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine, I’m not bedrudging you a good night's sleep,” Keith told him, getting out of the bed marginally more gracefully than Lance had.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you sleep? I’m so sorry- I know I’m a clingy sleeper-” Lance stammered, flushed red and looking positively edible in Keith's red shirt, all long lean leg muscles and mussed up hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine, I really don’t mind,” Keith assured him, “I slept really well, actually.” He’d slept better last night than he had in months, avoiding the nightmares that had been plaguing him for almost a year prior.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re going training, right?” Lance asked, still looking down awkwardly, playing with the hem of his shirt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I am,” Keith answered. “But I can spar with you after, if you want, before physio.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah- yeah, that would be great… I’ll see you there, then,” Lance stammered, and Keith nodded as his friend stumbled back into his jeans, smoothed his hair, and left for the washroom. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With Keith’s hand back in working order, the paladins finally split off from planet Ryker to track down a Robeast. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We know Honerva must be making them, but where, and how? How are they traveling without being detected? What do they want?” Allura wondered as they took off, speeding towards the star system where Lahn’s missing fleet had been nearly two weeks earlier. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever it is, it can’t be good.” Lance frowned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hopefully we can find out,” Keith added grimly, shaking out his hand, which Pidge assumed was already growing stiff. They’d have to try and make some adjustments to account for that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Three days later, they still hadn’t found anything, and the paladins were growing restless.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t even think properly anymore,” Hunk groaned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But the intel from Lahn’s ship-” Allura began for what must have been the hundredth time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We just don’t know how current that information is,” Lance sighed impatiently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Also this quadrant is 230,000 light years in diameter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That means nothing to me right now,” Hunk sighed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can never fathom that kind of space, even when we haven’t been traveling for three days straight,” Keith grumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, imagine five flees searching for another flee on a dog,” Pidge explained. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh- that’s not so-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Only the dog is the size of Earth,” Pidge finished. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other paladins groaned in frustration. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps we should set our course for the Altean colony, to search for clues there,” Allura suggested. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge was about to point out that they no longer had the coordinates to get to the colony, but Keith was already vehemently shooting her down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Absolutely not. Are you forgetting how harrowing that was the last time? Besides the fact that the coordinates to get there were stored on the Castle, which we no longer have, it will take us at least a day just to get to the abyss and another four days to get in and out- and that’s assuming we don’t fuck up and get blown to bits by gravitational pull or sent on a ten year journey by time corruption.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Allura huffed, “Keith, you don’t understand- these are my people! They were hunted down and destroyed, and now those that are left are being exploited in someone else's war!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Believe me, </span>
  <em>
    <span>princess</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I know what it’s like to be exploited in someone else’s war,” Keith spat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really, Keith? Your planet would have been completely destroyed if not for Voltron, and you’re telling me this isn’t your war?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well it </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Keith growled, “A week ago I lost my </span>
  <em>
    <span>hand </span>
  </em>
  <span>to this war. I lost two years of my life in the Quatumn Abyss, Allura- two years I should have spent being a fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>kid</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  In case you’d forgotten, we were </span>
  <em>
    <span>literally children</span>
  </em>
  <span> when you </span>
  <em>
    <span>begged</span>
  </em>
  <span> us to help you win this thing, </span>
  <em>
    <span>which we did</span>
  </em>
  <span>, so don’t lecture </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> about not understanding.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut up!” Pidge yelled, tired of the constant bickering, “Allura, we all feel for you, and I know this has been really difficult the last few months, but Keith is right. It’s not worth the risk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Paladins!” Lance snapped, “Is there anywhere nearby we can go to take a break from flying and maybe gather some intel, Pidge?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me check,” Pidge sighed. “Olkarion isn’t far from here… maybe they could help us figure out how to track the Robeast- and I could finally get away from Angst-Lord and Tortured-Angel here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey!” Keith and Allura both protested.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think we’re all just tired, and we could use a bit of a break from each other,” Hunk said diplomatically. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Olkarion would be a great place to rest and regroup.” Lance agreed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Setting course for Olkarion now.” Hunk said, sending the coordinates. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hailing Olkarion, this is Pidge, paladin of the Green Lion of Voltron, do you copy?” Pidge said, setting their frequency for the planet. All they got back was static. They double checked their signal, which seemed to be correct. “Huh, maybe we’re too far away.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s form Voltron and use our rocket wings to get there quicker,” Lance said firmly, “Olkarion’s reply should come through on the way if they can hear us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge nodded, focusing their energy into getting to Olkarion as quickly as possible. All they wanted was to get away from bloody Allura and her constant needling. They couldn’t blame Keith for blowing up at her- she’d been making sly comments about the Galra since the ATLAS launched, mostly directed at Keith, who had been ignoring her most of the time, but it had been a long three days of flying. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Buckle up, we're making the jump to lightspeed!” Hunk crowed happily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge grinned, “Why, you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy looking nerf herder!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who said it, Keith?” Lance joked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith groaned, “If I get it wrong do we have to have another marathon?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You loved those movies!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s just so many of them!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance laughed, and the sound was so contagious that Pidge giggled too. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Welcome to Olkarion’s galactic neighbourhood,” Lance announced a few minutes later, when they finally broke into the asteroid field around Olkarion. “Did we ever hear from them?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Actually no,” Pidge said, a hard knot of dread settling in their gut, “which is strange- I’ll try and contact them again.” They adjusted their signal and spoke, trying to keep the fear out of their voice, but before they could say anything, an alert popped up on their screen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whoa! We’ve got incoming! Something very big is headed this way at an incredible speed!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great!” Lance groaned, “A Galra cruiser, some terrible weapon?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A Robeast?” Allura suggested almost hopefully. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shield up!” Lance ordered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thing finally came into view- a massive, armoured caterpillar looking thing with a dangerous triple-pronged beak. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guys what the fuck.” Pidge said, unable to muster up any enthusiasm to pose it as a question. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey! It’s a Weblum! Keith, we’ve been inside one of those- remember?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance sniggered, clearly trying to come up with some kind of innuendo. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How could I forget?” Keith replied, with just enough purr in his tone that Lance actually choked. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Quinaking idiot</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The creatures' beak opened, and golden light poured out as it drew nearer to them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, guys?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pidge- oh my god, you would love this! It’s making Scaultrite through this amazing chemical reaction- they’re like space bees! They’re essential for the growth of the universe, and their biological processes are so-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Science talk later, get out of it’s way!” Lance shouted at them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wasn’t there something in Coran’s horrible video about that?” Keith grunted as they dodged away from the blast that the Weblum was aiming ahead of it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stay away from its face…” Hunk mumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you don’t want to be killed?” Keith muttered.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Both paladins gasped suddenly and chorused, “If you don’t want to be dead, avoid it’s head!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge snorted, covering their mouth with their hand so the others couldn’t hear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Would have been great to remember that rule before we sat in front of it’s face for like two doboshes,” Lance said sarcastically. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge was looking at their screen in concern as the computer made some calculations based on the trajectory of the Weblum. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, guys? It’s headed for Olkarion!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Hunk gasped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then we’d better get there first,” Lance said grimly. “Hey, Chewy, make the jump lightspeed!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith growled low in his throat, “I used to think ‘Mullet’ was bad. Stop calling me that,” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You love me,” Lance sing-songed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not right now I don’t,” Keith responded, and then they were shooting past the Weblem and into Olkarion’s atmosphere. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a punch to the gut- maybe more like a stab- to see the crumbling mass of buildings below the clouds, the wind blowing hollowly through the crushed shell of the city. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Pidge heard themselves say from someplace far in the distance. It was worse once they landed and got out of their Lions, standing in the ruins of the once great city. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They were our friends,” Pidge murmured, trying their hardest not to cry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hunk put a large, warm hand on their shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know this is a tough moment, guys,” Lance said quietly, “But we need to do some search and rescue before the Weblum gets here. If there are survivors-” Lance broke off, voice breaking in his throat. Pidge held their breath to keep the tears at bay. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need to find out what happened here,” Keith finished for him.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “I think we all already know there’s only one thing capable of doing this,” Allura said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s confirm it,” Lance replied firmly, walking away into the city. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was nothing but dust and ruin in the city, but eventually, Pidge found their way into the woods, Allura trailing behind distractedly. The dread that had sunk like a stone in their stomach was hatching into a grief that battered at their chest with heavy wings. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is where Ryner taught me how to connect with nature,” Pidge realized, stopping in a clearing they remembered as dappled and green, full of life and energy and possibilities. They lifted their hand to a nearby leaf and it crumbled to dust in their fingers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The physical destruction patterns are the same as those on Earth,” Keith said grimly through the radio.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s what we’re seeing, too,” Lance confirmed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It looks like quintessence has been siphoned out of Olkarion as well,” Allura added. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge heard laughter -childrens light, joyful screeches, and snapped their head up to look around the clearing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you hear that?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… I heard kids, laughing, and for a second, I thought the forest looked like it did before,” Pidge shook their head, kneeling down to run their fingers through the dry dirt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe this place is trying to show you something,” Allura said, kneeling down next to them. “You have a deep connection to this forest, try to tap into it- see if you can picture it the way it once was.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge focused, closing their eyes and standing, envisioning the soft green carpet of moss, the thick leafy canopy, and then they were there- everything was green and alive again, and Pidge was standing in the woods, waiting for the destruction to start. And it started almost immediately. Pidge watched in horror as the Olkari fled the city, scrambling out of their homes as the buildings crumbled around them. They watched the scientists in the communication tower discover that the Robeasts were traveling via wormhole, the ‘aha!’ moment significantly overshadowed by the air of impending doom in the lab as the Robeast flattened the city. They watched, mind whirling, as the Robeast stole the Olkari’s echo-cubes, wondering desperately what it was all for, how Honerva could possibly be justifying this kind of chaos to herself. They could hear Lance calling out orders as Hunk and Keith tried to explain what they knew about the Weblem, trying to slow it and buying Pidge a little more time, just a few more doboshers, just enough to see Ryner ushering the last of her people onto a ship. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You mustn’t cling too tightly to the past,” Ryner said, cupping the face of the little girl who’s joyous laughter Pidge had heard echoing through the trees, not ten doboshes earlier. “The Olkari have always been able to adapt, and to move forward. It is our greatest strength, and it lives on in you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But our home,” the little girl sobbed, and Pidges heart clenched painfully in their chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The old makes way for the new,” Ryner said assuringly, “That’s the way of the universe.” Ryner folded the child in her arms, and then pushed her towards the ship, smiling sadly as the pods took off into the smoky sky. The vision faded, and Pidge was left looking for a civilization that was long gone on a planet that was about to die. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pidge, you need to get out of there, we can’t hold this thing off!” Hunk called. Pidge looked up to see that the Green Lion was hovering in front of them, eyes lit, already waiting to go. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The old gives way to the new</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodbye, Ryner,” Pidge whispered, and took off into the black expanse of space beyond.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. "You Think Keith's My What?"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ahhh self indulgent drivel. If someone wants to draw these tattoos I would literally die of joy. <br/>CHAPTER TAGS: heavily implied sexual assault</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After the attack by Zethrid’s team of bounty hunters while being actively poisoned by CO2, the paladins were understandably exhausted, and headed back to the ATLAS for a few days of recharging. Keith disappeared into the training room immediately, and Kinkade confirmed that he had accumulated every muscle rolling tool on the ship and requested that ‘nobody fucking bother him unless something was on fire’, while Allura, Romelle and Hunk all chose to wash up and go to bed. Lance stayed with Pidge, who had sequestered themselves in a small room with a candle and one of Coran’s echo cubes from Olkarion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just need to let myself be sad for a while,” they explained when the ship's engineer, Ember, asked if they were ok.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance had to leave Pidge to their vigil, eventually. He was exhausted, and as much as he didn’t want to abandon them with their grief, he needed to rest. Reluctantly, Lance made his way down the passage to the tiny room he called home. He really didn’t want to be alone, but Allura, Romelle, and Hunk had all turned in early, and Shiro was probably already sleeping determinedly as well. Lance made a sharp turn, and changed his course to Keiths room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith? Are you awake?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, is that you, Lance?” Keith replied, voice muffled and languid behind the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on in,” Keith said, and Lance shoved the door open to reveal the Reds’ paladin stretched out on his bed in his sleep shorts and a tee shirt, propped up on his elbows to look back at Lance. He rolled off his stomach onto one side and sat up clumsily, but not before Lance caught a glimpse of the Marmora mark on his neck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just,” Lance walked over and dropped down on Keiths bed, resting his tired head in his tired hands. “I’m so tired. But I can’t stop worrying.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Neither can I,” Keith admitted, shuffling on the bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“CanIstayheretonight?” Lance blurted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith huffed out a laugh, “Little slower, bud,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nevermind.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can stay as long as you need to,” Keith said, and Lance sucked a breath violently between his teeth, surprised. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith…” Lance sat up, looking over at Keith, who was leaning against the headboard with his hands clasped in his lap, the white metal of his prosthetic contrasting harshly with the red of his real knuckles. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What happened that day in the lounge? Why were you- what were you dreaming about?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith flinced, almost imperceptibly. “The Galra prison.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The prison?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was really bad, Lance.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance remembered. He was so scared, terrified they wouldn’t get out, frightened for Pidge- and then Keith had leapt forward and baited their captor into taking him instead, and then they were all frightened for Keith when he was dragged away. They’d found him three hours later, exhausted and unable to tell them what had happened- or unwilling.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You remember it? I thought-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith smiled grimly, “I remember it. I was awake the whole time. Stupid Galra blood. A normal human probably would have passed out after the first few minutes.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What did they…” Lance trailed off, looking away. Keith snorted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I really… it was fucked. They were trying to humiliate me, hurt me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quiznak, Keith.” Lance furrowed his brow, and Keith choked out another humourless laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck, Lance. I’m fucking glad it was me and not Pidge. Or any of you, really.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I’m not!” Lance blurted, turning to face Keith and crossing his legs under him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well there could have been much more dire consequences- for Pidge, particularly. They’re so young and... So yeah, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> glad it was me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean, consequences?” Lance demanded. Keith shook his head, looking down at his clasped hands, which were shaking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Think, Lance. You’re smart. Figure it out. I can’t-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They-” Lance realized, suddenly, what Keith was getting at, eyes blowing wide and frightened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s why we couldn’t get near you- for weeks! I-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not a big deal, Lance.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a huge deal! It’s a massive fucking deal, dude! What the fuck! And I totally had no regard for your space- Quiznak, Keith, I thought it was funny when you got all twitchy when we touched you!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith refused to meet Lance’s gaze, and Lance felt his eyes well up as he stared at his friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not your fault Lance, you didn’t know. I couldn’t- I can’t... don’t tell the others. Even Shiro doesn’t- I can’t tell them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not? Fuck Keith you just… dealt with this all by yourself? What the hell?” Anger boiled in Lance’s blood, and he stood up abruptly, pacing the small room, trying to keep from walking out the door to Black and hunting down the man who had done this to his friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because it’s pathetic! I went into that interrogation room because I thought there was no way in hell they could break me. And they did. It was supposed to dehumanize me, and make me afraid of my own teammates. And it worked,” Keith hissed, snapping his grey eyes to Lance’s shattered face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It should have been me.” Lance snarled, slamming his fist against the wall. “I’m- I’m sorry, I need a moment- I’ll be back,” he muttered, walking out into the hall before his sobs choked him. He rounded the corner, breathing wetly and ran straight into Hunk.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, man, Lance, wait till you hear- dude, whoa, bro- are you ok?” Hunk pulled Lance to the side of the hallway, holding him by the shoulders as Lance breathed into his own hand, trying not to let out the scream he wanted to release so badly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No- I- I’ll be fine I’m just…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Hunk wrapped his arms around Lance’s shoulders, surrounding the shorter boy with his comforting warmth and the scent of alien spices. “It’s ok. You’re going to be alright.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took several minutes for Lance to calm down, but once he had, he realized he needed to go back to Keith- needed to apologize for walking out on his friend like that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have to go talk to Keith about something…” Lance mumbled, and Hunk let go, patting his shoulder gently. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> will make you feel all cared for,” he joked, and Lance managed a grin before heading back to Keith’s room, not bothering to correct him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith.” Lance said, letting himself into the room without knocking. Keith was sitting on the bed, head in hands, fingers tangled through his own hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Keith croaked, lifting his head. He looked tired, a little worried, but he definitely wasn’t as much of a mess as Lance. “Quiznak- dude- I’m so-” Keith stared at Lance’s bloodshot eyes and puffy face, the way his shoulders were collapsing in on himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut up,” Lance said, walking over and sitting down. He reached for Keith, wanting to shield him from his own memories- to remind himself that he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>there</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>fighting</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but he stopped, looking to Keith for permission. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith waited for a moment before realizing that Lance was asking permission, “Go ahead. I’m really ok, now. I’m lucky… Some people take </span>
  <em>
    <span>years</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be able to have or enjoy sex or any kind of contact… Besides, I trust you. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span> don’t have to ask permission from me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance scooted forwards, pressing his forehead into Keith's shoulder as he hugged him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking</span>
  </em>
  <span> lucky!” He murmered furiously, “You were </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking assaulted</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and you never </span>
  <em>
    <span>told</span>
  </em>
  <span> us!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I’m ok, Lance,” Keith said quietly into Lance’s hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does Griffin know?” Lance asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh…” Keith looked away, flushing, “Yeah I kinda- I had to tell him. There's some stuff I’m… still not comfortable with. Can we talk about something else?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance nodded, thinking back to when Keith was away in the abyss or with the Blades, searching his mind for some funny anecdote he could relate. He took a deep breath, and forced himself to be normal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dude. I’m trying to think of something that happened while you were away, but all I can think of is how depressed I was!” He laughed, “And I totally thought it was because of Allura and Lotor, but… I think I also really missed you. At least when you were with the Blades we could text.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith laughed, “Hunk told me you were moping constantly about Lotor and Allura- honestly I think he’s really surprised you’re taking her relationship with Romelle so well.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance chuckled, “I don’t know… I guess… I think I really did love her, at first, but eventually I figured I’d never make her happy, and that’s really what I want. I don’t want to be with her more than I want to see her happy.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith looked at him with an expression that Lance couldn’t name. “You don’t think you could make her happy?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance frowned, looking down at Keith's bare legs stretched out beside him. “I don’t think… we could make each other happy. When she turned me down on Earth, I thought I would be so upset if she said no… but I was actually kind of relieved.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Interesting,” Keith replied, slowly, and Lance looked up to see that the other boy had leaned his head back against the wall, exposing the pale column of his throat. Lance remembered how he’d looked on first return from the quantum abyss- so much older, hardened in a way that he’d trended towards in personality before, but never appearance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“How do we know that’s Keith and not his bigger, cooler, grizzled older brother?” Lance remembered demanding. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s me, Lance,” Keith had said, shoving Lance’s finger out of his face, “Because you’re still eight years worth of irritating.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Eight?” Pidge was staring at Keith while Hunk did some finger counting. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hey, everybody! Keith’s back!” Lance called, spreading his arms. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ll hug you later, Lance, if that’s what you’re waiting for. Right now, I need to know when Lotor will be back.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had followed through on that hug promise a few days later (once they were sure Shiro was going to be ok), giving Lance a brief, rough hug at breakfast one morning. It had been weird, how much bigger he was than before- how much stronger. Lance remembered tucking himself into his arms- which were so much more secure after his time away- and thinking </span>
  <em>
    <span>please stay</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Now, Lance was used to the bulkier, taller Keith, but starting to train with him again had been bizarre. He was faster, calmer, more brutal and more calculating. And he was… beautiful, really. Lance loved watching him fight- it was seeing Keith in his natural element. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith,” Lance said, and Keith lifted his head to meet the taller boy's gaze. Lance forgot what he had wanted to say. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance,” Keith raised an eyebrow at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“D’you ever think about after?” Lance swung himself over Keith’s calves so he was tucked between the older boy and the wall, and scooted to sit beside his friend, leaning against the headboard. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You mean after we finish liberating the universe?” Keith replied dryly. “Sometimes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Lance admitted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me neither,” Keith sighed, slouching down until his head hit the pillow. Lance stared down at him, tracing the line of his scar and his pretty downturned lips with his eyes. Keith’s eyes were closed, and Lance noticed dark bags under them. He watched Keith's eyelashes flutter for a few minutes, tried to time his breath to the rise and fall of Keith’s chest. It was slowing, and he realized Keith was falling asleep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I’ll let you sleep,” He said, starting to get up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stay.” Keith grabbed his wrist, large, square hand wrapping easily all the way around it. Lance felt something rise in his throat, tugging on his chest. He stared at Keith's hand, wondering if- He shook himself, looking down at Keith, who’s eyes were half-lidded, mouth relaxed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mhm.” Keith tugged on his wrist, and Lance curled down beside him, watching him carefully. He tried to think if Keith had ever initiated physical contact with him before. He was pretty sure he hadn’t, but the way the older boy melted into him when Lance hugged him or put his hand on his shoulder… he was so clearly touch starved, and Lance was all too eager to provide that touch.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kept the dreams away, last time,” Keith mumbled, and Lance shuddered angrily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, then. I’ll stay.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know you guys are eager to go after the Robeasts,” Shiro said the next day at their morning briefing, glaring down at the grumbling paladins. “But you’re all exhausted, and we made a commitment to protecting Drazen during their Clear Day festival. One day off won’t hurt you, and Ember and Slav haven’t tracked down their whereabouts yet anyways.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But Shiro-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s Captain Shirogane to you, princess, and you’re taking a day off whether you like it or not,” Shiro said firmly, but there was a twinkle in his eye as he dismissed them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The paladin’s spent their day off at the Clear Day carnival trying to help Romelle find ‘something sparkly’ as an apology gift for Allura- as the two women were currently in the midst of yet another massive argument, and Allura had decided to stay at the ATLAS, closely monitoring Ember and Slav’s progress.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The others had all gone their separate ways at the beginning of the evening, but Lance, Romelle and Keith had stuck together, exploring the carnival leisurely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, Sharpshooter, win me a prize!” Romelle ordered once Coran had distributed festival tokens, tucking her arm under Lances “And Keith can win me one, too!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you can give it to your grumpy girlfriend?” Lance teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anything for you,” Keith replied sarcastically, and the three paladins marched into the crowd. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, look!” Lance cried, tugging on Keith’s arm after a few minutes of wandering, “Is that a tattoo parlour?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Looks like it,” Keith replied, staring in confused surprise at the alien inside, who was utterly covered in ink and had a needle pressed into the back of another alien.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tattoos?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like on Keith’s arm,” Lance explained, “Like a permanent art piece on your skin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh! That’s so cool!” Romelle squealed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We should get matching ones- all of us!” Lance gasped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes!” Romelle cried. “The paladins, anyways- you should all get the Voltron ‘V’ symbol thing that is on your chest plates! How sweet!”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m down,” Keith shrugged, looking around to see if he could spot any of the others. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go find everyone!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They found Pidge at the token return booth, gazing at a bejeweled mining helmet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Behold,” droned the bored teenager behind the booth. “Perfect for a princess.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll take it!” Pidge responded, eyes glittering. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re going to need twice as many tickets as that.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge stared at her incredulously, “I don’t have any more tokens!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well in that case,” the girl responded, grabbing a tiny shovel from a nearby stack, “you can get one of these shovels, and use it to dig yourself out of the hole you’ve found yourself in.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Romelle started to tell Pidge that he didn’t think the gift was quite right anyways, but Lance had already interrupted, enthusiastically explaining their idea to the Greens’ paladin. Romelle spotted the MFE pilots and Acxa at a shooting contest booth, and subtly bumped into Veronica as she passed by, knocking the pretty Cuban girl into the former Galra general, who caught her easily. They stayed just long enough to watch the two women scramble apart, both blushing furiously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They found Hunk in the back of a food tent, and he fussed about the painful tattooing process for a few moments before Keith pointed out that they voluntarily put themselves in danger of dying or losing limbs almost daily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perspective, Hunk, perspective,” Pidge said with an air of mock wisdom. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here, try this, Ro, you’re going to love it,” Hunk said, handing her a pink pastry, which turned out to be filled with something akin to raspberry creme. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We gotta find Shiro, now,” Hunk sighed, and they wandered off into the crowd to find the ATLAS’s captain. When they’d corralled everyone back to the tent with the tattoo artist, they’d established that they would all get the extended Voltron ‘V’ that adorned their armour in the appropriate colours. They bullied Coran into joining them, laughing at his pained expression while a raspberry ‘V’ the colour of the juniberries grown on Altea was etched into his skin. Romelle consented to having one done as well, in a pretty pale pink that was somewhat iridescent under the sunlight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It didn’t take long for each paladin to have their art done, and the two alien artists running the stall were amused by their overt camaraderie, laughing when Hunk insisted that Keith and Lance hold his hands while his shoulder was inked. Keith noticed a shimmering gold substance in the artists ink collection, and although Shiro protested vehemently, Lance insisted that he have his mark etched in black and outlined in the golden ink, which glittered prettily under his skin and was unlike any tattoo any of them had ever seen on Earth. Once the others were finished, Pidge dragged Romelle away to play some arcade games with them, and Hunk hurried back to the food tent, informing them that the cook inside was teaching him to do some ‘otherworldly things with the livers of cave bugs’. Lance was about to follow Pidge and Hunk into the crowd, but Keith caught his arm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Lance, while we’re here, did you want to get your Lion done?” Keith asked quietly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What- you really drew something for me?” Lance gasped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith shrugged, looking embarrassed. “You asked me to,” He said, and handed Lance his tablet. The image on the screen was a lion, similar to Keith’s own, but it was male- it’s mane cascading around it and transitioning into crashing ocean waves, which gave way to Earthan skies covered in stars. There was very little colour in the image, but Lance found a pale sunset over a dessert buried in the expanse of the sea, and his eyes grew hot behind their lids. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith was shifting uncomfortably, “If you don’t like it-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love it- fuck, this is stunning, dude, I can’t believe you made this!” Lance looked up to see Keith leaning close over the tablet, so close that Lance could see where the violet ended and the greys began in the contours of his irises. Lance inhaled slowly, trying not to startle the other boy, who was peering over the tablet. He was enjoying being allowed in Keith’s space- though he was allowed to stay close and even cuddle with Keith in the privacy of his room on the ATLAS, he wasn’t usually given the opportunity to examine the other man's face this closely. Keith had ridiculously long, dark eyelashes. He had a narrow nose with a low bridge, and sharp, but subtle cheekbones. He was pretty, and he was looking up at Lance in confusion, eyes wide -almost frightened- pale skin flushing and free hand flying up to rub the mark on the back of his neck. Lance grinned, tugging the tablet from his hand and bringing it over to the artist, explaining what he wanted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And your --- drew this?” The alien asked, looking over at Keith. Lance tapped the translator in his ear, shaking his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> The artist frowned, “Your… you don’t have a word for this? Your- heart’s mirror? He drew this?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My what?” Lance stammered, “Keith? Yeah, he did. He’s very talented.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your…” The alien sighed, gesturing for Lance to sit down and disinfecting his scapula, where the tattoo would be placed. “It is your mate, but I can tell that you are not mated yet so I assume you are-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whoa!” Lance’s face was impossibly hot, and he didn’t dare look around for Keith. “Like a soul-mate? Keith’s not my- we’re not together.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The alien just hummed skeptically, and Lance rested his head on his forearm in embarrassment. Whatever technology these artists were using was apparently much faster than the kind used on Earth. Keith had told Lance his tattoo had taken several hours, and had to be done over two sessions for practicality, but Lance was only sitting in the chair for about an hour before he was informed that the design was done. It was red and irritated looking, of course, and the alien seemed concerned by this, but Keith assured him it was normal, and that Lance’s shoulder actually looked much better than most humans after such a long session with so much detailed design. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance hadn’t noticed when Keith had sat down in the other chair with the artists own ‘heart-mirror’, but he did noticed the fresh continuation of Keith’s galaxy design all the way down his hand to the back of his knuckles, and across his scapula as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whoa-” he gasped, grabbing Keith’s arm before he could put his jumpsuit back on and examining it. He found Arus back where he knew it had been in the original design- near the lions chin, and followed the lines of the galaxy across his arm to the first Balmera, which was closest in the new design. He found a simple outline of Hunk’s profile there, standing out from the other stars with a slight yellow-gold tint. He traced constellations and asteroid belts and sections of galaxies they’d seen until he found Pidge’s green outline hidden in the stars surrounding Olkarion. He found Coran and Allura just below Arus, and a coral line representing Romelle’s sweet grin where Altea once was. Krolia’s stern profile took the place of the quantum abyss, Shiro and Adam were surrounded by the Milky Way. Keith’s father -who Lance only recognized because of how much he resembled Keith, even in simple line art- was hidden at the base of Keith’s thumb, near Neptune. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are we all here?” he asked, searching for himself in the mess of the galaxy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Keith said shyly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t find me, Mullet,” Lance meant to sound teasing, but his voice was raw and breathless. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re near Taujeer,” Keith said, reaching around and tapping his shoulder, close to the end of his collar bone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why there?” Lance asked, finding the navy line of his own jaw. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I- I’m not actually sure, yet.” Keith admitted. “I didn’t know why Romelle was where she is either, when I first drew it- until Pidge showed us the location of Altea and Daibazaal. It… it’s all based on memories from flashes when I was in the abyss- I had this tattoo in nearly all of them. All the best ones, anyways.” Keith shrugged. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance stared at him, still tracing the thin line of his own nose, speckled with freckles made of stars and nearly invisible in the chaos that was the tattoo. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Food?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure,” Lance shook his head, trying not to stare as Keith pulled his shirt on over his head, and purposefully ignoring the pointed looks from both alien tattoo artists. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They wandered through the fair, grabbing some unidentifiable fried treats and sharing their snacks while leisurely exploring, until they finally spotted Coran, Pidge and Hunk all shouting celebratorily, Coran holding a massive trophy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where were you guys?” Hunk cried. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, where were you? You missed my winning Yalmor call!” Coran exclaimed, throwing an arm over Lance, and looking questioningly at Keith, who smiled. He flung his other arm over the Reds’ paladins shoulders. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great job, Coran!” Hunk said assuringly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They wandered down a nearby path and noticed a booth selling jewelry. Romelle was standing in front of it, haggling for a pair of pretty pink and gold earrings that looked like sunset when Coran, Hunk and Pidge strolled by, followed by Lance and Keith, who were bickering.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey guys!” She called. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look what I got Allura!” Pidge announced, holding out the helmet, “You think she’ll </span>
  <em>
    <span>dig</span>
  </em>
  <span> it?”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Romelle tried unsuccessfully to hide her smirk. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pierce your nose, young man? Or your ears? Eyebrow? Ni-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no thank you, thanks very much, we’ll just-” Keith slammed five tokens down on the table next to Romelle’s eight, snatched up the earrings, and yanked Coran away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Awwww Keith!” Pidge groaned, leaping onto the Blacks’ paladins back. Keith grunted, but held them up easily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think you’d look cute with a nose piercing,” Romelle teased, tucking the earrings into her pocket and wrapping her arm around Lance’s waist as they walked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Absolutely not.” Keith shook his head, and the others all jumped in, trying to convince him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where’s Shiro?” Keith asked over their clamouring. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Coran rolled his eyes, “Well, Adam told him that he was too old for arm wrestling contests and-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adam did </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Oh man!” Pidge howled, grabbing Hunk’s arm and leading him away towards a large tent with a huge crowd gathered outside. The others grinned at each other and followed easily, entering the tent and fighting their way to the front, where Ember was tossing popcorn into Rizavi’s mouth while Slav prattled on to Adam about all the realities in which he had died. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey!” Adam gasped gratefully, cutting off Slav’s monologue. “They’re about to go into the final round- I should never have said anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aw did you ruin your own date?” Romelle teased. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t like any of you,” Adam frowned, but Lance could see a hint of amusement playing in his eyes, and so could Romelle, apparently, because she launched herself onto his shoulders, demanding that he ‘tortellini back’ her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re thinking of a tortoise, which is an animal with a large shell. Tortellini is a pasta,” Pidge chuckled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s ‘piggy-back’ also, but actually, turtle or tortoise back makes more sense…” Hunk mused, watching as the announcer called Shiro up to the platform. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Former leader of Voltron and Captain of the IGF ATLAS, hailing from some tiny fringe planet nobody has heard of, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shiro</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” the announcer cried, and Adam groaned as Shiro thrust his prosthetic fist triumphantly into the air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And our reigning champion, who needs no introduction, let’s hear it for </span>
  <em>
    <span>the Warden</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” the announcer yelled, and the crowd screamed as the light landed on a broad Galra man with short legs and a large mouth, currently set in a wide scowl. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No way! This guy?” Lance exclaimed in disbelief. Slav was whimpering, and Keith looked like he might have a stroke. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh fuck no,” Hunk shook his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The announcer wrapped the clasped hands of Shiro and the Warden together, while the two men muttered at each other. Lance couldn’t hear them over the rush of his own surprise and the crowd cheering. The Warden seemed to be smiling, though, and Shiro looked shocked. Keith glanced over at Lance and shrugged as the Warden cast his eyes down and spoke. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought you ruined my life, but after I stopped working for the Galra, I found this place, and discovered arm wrestling.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shiro glanced over at Adam, who was choking on his laughter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That is </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> random,” Pidge murmured. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It helped me realize what’s most important in my life,” The Warden said, tipping his head towards his Yupper, the giant dog-creature that Lance had almost kidnapped so long ago, thinking it was Slav. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shiro looks like he got hit over the head with a baseball bat,” Kinkade chuckled behind Lance, reaching over to swipe some of his popcorn. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance shook his head. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> feel like I just-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The alien’s time keeper’s arms dropped, and Lance broke off in favour of yelling Shiro’s name as loudly as he could. When Shiro slammed the Galra man's arm down against the table after a tense minute of struggling, Lance leapt into Kinkade’s arms without hesitation, and was spun around in celebration before being unceremoniously dropped next to Keith so Kinkade could catch Coran’s trophy, which had been tossed into the air when Shiro won. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They carried Shiro out on their shoulders, laughing as confetti spilled around them, but Lance couldn’t help the creeping dread clawing in his stomach telling him that this was the last simple, happy day he was going to see for a long time.       </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. If You'd Told Me Yesterday That This Was Going To Happen I Would Have Slapped You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm sorry</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lance had his first panic attack the next day after their morning briefing. He was sitting in the kitchen, helping Hunk roll up some kind of space empanada when he heard a shriek and a gun firing from somewhere inside the ship. Lance’s hand was on his bayard instantly, and he was stalking down the hallway towards the source of the noise. As he drew closer to the training lab, he heard laughter, and poked his head around the corner to see his sister giggling helplessly into Acxa’s shoulder. The Galra woman was smiling -her lips just barely turned up at the corners in the most intense display of emotion Lance had seen from her so far. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Logically, Lance knew that nothing was wrong -that the gun Veronica was holding had simply misfired- but his body was coiled like a spring, ready to run, fight, hide. He sank to the ground, breath coming in quick sharp gasps, vision flashing and finger twitching over the trigger of his own weapon. Blink, and there was the monster who’d taken Keith’s hand, snarling above him. Blink, and there was Zarkon, looming above them as they tried desperately to escape, bullets ricocheting off the walls of a Galra airship. Blink, and there was Veronica, speaking to him in fast spanish, desperately asking him what was wrong. Blink, and there was a fallen Galra soldier. Blink, and there was another, collapsing over Lance’s body with three bullet holes clear through his head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I did that I did that I did that I did</span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Leandro, mijo, háblame- que pasó, chiquito?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nobody had called him Leandro in so long. Even his parents usually called him Lance now. The formal name brought him back to the present, reminded him of warm sandy beaches and fresh mangos, peeled and placed into sticky, chubby little hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Estoy- ‘stoy bien, Ronnie- no se… escuché en gun y I panicked.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fue mi culpa, Lance. I should have been más cuidadosa. Sorry te asusté- Acxa was ready to murder me, too!” Veronica said, rubbing Lance’s knees soothingly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You ok, buddy?” Hunk asked, and Lance looked up, only just noticing the other boy was there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine, yeah, sorry.” Every time Lance closed his eyes, all he could see was blood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to go shower.” He was sticky and sweaty as if he’d run a marathon, and his teeth were chattering. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Text if you need anything!” Veronica and Hunk chorused as Acxa helped him to his feet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Talk to someone,” she said softly in his ear. “It will help with the trauma, trust me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance just nodded, and stumbled off to his room. He slept for the rest of the day, his sleep plagued by flashes of the nightmares he’d lived through. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> “So the Robeasts are just... Stationed on these planets? But they’re not attacking...” Ember furrowed her brow, tapping her nails on the desk nervously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re targeting multiple fronts simultaneously,” Keith said, staring up at the holographic map above the conference table in disgust. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do we do?” Ember asked, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keep calm,” Shiro sighed, adjusting his grey collar and folding his hands in front of him. “Veronica, give us any real time updates as they come in.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Veronica nodded, tapping a few keys on her tablet before looking up, “Sanook has reported that the Robeasts are surrounded by a particle shield barrier,” she informed them, and Romelle bit back a groan of frustration. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ember, can you get ahold of-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Veronica gasped, tablet pinging incessantly. “The planets have reported activity- the Robeasts seem to be siphoning quintessence from their cores!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need to engage! Stop as many of them as we can!” Iverson insisted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How?” Lance retorted, “The Lions are no match for a Robeast alone, and Voltron can hardly be four places at once. I’m not sending my team on a suicide mission and neither are you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nobody is suggesting that, Commander McClain,” Shiro said calmly. “I would say we could attack each with the totality of our forces, wormhole from target to target… but that seems… risky.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We should be focusing on that Galra witch!” Allura burst out, “We need to attack Oriande directly-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Isn’t she Altean?” Coran pointed out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s no Altean. An Altean would never do something like this. She’s been Galra since she joined Zarkon.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Veronica rolled her eyes, “Great news, Acxa, that means you’re human </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> Altean, now!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Acxa smirked, and Allura bristled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lura,” Hunk said warningly, and Allura shot him a vicious glare. Hunk tried not to flinch, but Allura was growing colder and more distant every day, and it was starting to wear on all of them. She was wearing the earrings Romelle had brought her, but the two women still seemed awkward around each other.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think I know what Honerva is doing,” Allura said, pointing at the map, “We know she has the ability to create wormholes, and that the wormholes are emanating from Oriande. She stole those cubes from Olkarion, which we know can be used to mimic and intensify energy from a distance. And the Robeasts can drain and transmit massive amounts of quintessence-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s concentrating energy from across the universe at Oriande,” Coran gasped, catching onto Allura’s train. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“With that much energy,” Ember was frantically tapping calculations into her tablet, and Veronica leaned around Adam to see what she was doing. “She could create a Komar big enough to drain the quintessence of an entire galaxy.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Curtis hissed, and Coran shook his head in disbelief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That monster.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But that kind of energy- what could she possibly need it for?” Pidge wondered, and Ember shook her head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing good.” Griffin mumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Allura is right, we need to act immediately,” Lance said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need to go to Oriande right away,” Allura agreed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then we will, right Lance?” Keith stood up, facing the princess, who stared at him coolly. Hunk frowned, annoyed that the two paladins couldn’t seem to get along at all these days, despite the efforts of the rest of the team and Keith’s patience with the Altean woman. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course,” Lance nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The ATLAS will support you, but we don’t have time to wait for the rest of the coalition.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, love, what’s going on?” Matt’s voice cracked through the speakers of Embers tablet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re on speaker, Holt,” she told him, smiling as his face filled the projection.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, </span>
  <em>
    <span>loves</span>
  </em>
  <span>, what’s going on?” Matt amended, laughing.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need the rebels to lead emergency evacuations of at least three planets,” Shiro told him, “You shouldn’t expect assistance. Sending the coordinates through now.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “Is everything ok?” Matt looked worried, peering at Ember’s face, and then around the room to find Pidge. “Shiro?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We are beginning an assault on Oriande. Do not send aid- top priority is getting these planets evacuated,” Shiro said sternly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shiro, seriously, drop the formality for a second, please,” Matt grumbled. “Are you guys ok?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We will be,” Pidge insisted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Promise?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I promise they’ll come home safe, Matt,” Lance interrupted, and Hunk felt a tug of pride in his chest as the Blacks’ paladin stood up from his seat, face set determinedly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Matt said quietly, “Love you guys. Be careful, ok? We’ll let you know how evacuations are going periodically.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Love you too, Matt,” Pidge, Ember and Shiro chorused.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “Paladins, to your Lions,” Lance ordered grimly, and as they hurried down the hall to the hangars, adrenaline seized in Hunks chest. The assault on Oriande had begun. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Allura had a full body reaction to seeing Lotor’s pod returning as Honerva channeled the stolen quintessence into a rift, pulling it forward from somewhere between realities. Allura lurched forward, head spinning, every muscle in her body seizing with tension. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.” She shook her head, breathing hard into her helmet, “No- it’s- I can’t- this is impossible!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But even if it was impossible, she didn’t have much time to think about it. When Allura awoke in Blues’ cockpit, separated from the other lions and aching terribly from the impact, she knew she had to get to Lotor’s mech- to see him and... </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And what? She was with Romelle now, and the other Altean woman was good for her. She was happy… sort of. Things would be so simple if not for these damn Galra.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She leapt towards the pod, dodging the beams of energy being directed at her. She saw the Green Lion approach out of the corner of her eye, but ignored it, focusing on Lotor’s ship instead. When she finally landed on top of the pod, she had to dig her bayard into the metal to keep from being shaken off as she worked to melt the back of the pod so she could enter it. What she saw inside made her insides lurch, and she leaned out the back of the pod to vomit. Slowly, she approached the corpse, ignoring the tears running down her face and crashing outside. She pressed her hands to Lotor’s head, which issued no response from Lotor until the flesh began to knit itself back together. She felt Honerva’s control sevre, and the cockpit lurched as the machine fell to the ground. Slowly, Lotor’s body pulled itself back together, and his breath returned -shallow, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>there</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Allura was exhausted, and collapsed on the floor beside him, wondering how the hell they were going to get out of this now. Suddenly, the floor shook, and Allura was being dragged backwards out of the ship and towards Honerva. She struggled desperately, calling for the other paladins, but they were all too occupied with the Robeasts to get to her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re coming, Allura, hold on!” Hunk cried, and then grunted as he was thrown to the ground again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know what you want,” Honerva hissed, “and I can get you there.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everything went black. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance didn’t see how Allura got back in the Blue Lion after Lotor’s emergency eject pod shot through the air- he was too busy retrieving said pod and yelling at Hunk to watch out on his left. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What happened? Allura! Are you ok?” Pidge cried. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine, Pidge, but I’m afraid… I’m sorry everyone.” Allura responded grimly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance heard Lotor scrambling around inside Black’s jaws, and opened the entrance to the cockpit for him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shiro you must- Lance?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Changing of the guard,” Lance shrugged, “Welcome back.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance, Allura is-” Lotor grumbled angrily as he was thrown across the cockpit by a blast of ice from Allura’s jaws. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Watch it!” Lance shouted, “Keith, can you melt this shit off? I’m going to crash!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Got it-” Keith’s voice broke off in a grunt, “Allura, what the hell? Stop it, I’m trying to get to Lance- what the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance finally gained control of his Lion and looked up to see Keith and Allura locked in a tight battle, flickering and rolling through the air like sparks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Allura, stop! What are you doing?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry Lance!” Allura cried, “But my intention has always been to protect the universe, no matter what it takes, and… Honerva has shown me that there is a path to preventing all of this!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean, preventing?” Hunk yelled, knocking forcefully into Lance to break the ice away from his Lion’s legs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean starting over! No war, no Galra!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith is Galra!” Lance exclaimed angrily. “Lotor is Galra- and Acxa, and Krolia and Kolivan- your friends!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry!” Allura cried, voice wild and choked, “but my people- my </span>
  <em>
    <span>family-</span>
  </em>
  <span> what about your family, Pidge, wouldn't you like to see your father again?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not if it means losing all of our friends! If you’re trying to alter realities- Allura, you have to know that it’s not really going to work, right?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I must try!” Allura replied. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Allura, no!” Lance cried as another blast of light shot towards him from one of Honerva’s mechs. When his vision had cleared, he saw that Keith was now easily beating Allura back, keeping her occupied gracefully while the others swirled around him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Get out everyone else out of here!” he snapped over a private channel to Lance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re not fucking leaving you!” Lance growled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance,” Lotor interrupted, “you still have a connection with the Blue Lion, correct?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah… maybe?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You must try to regain control from Allura.” Lotor said, “May I?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever you want, bro,” Lance answered, dodging out of the way of another blast from one of the robeasts. He flinched in surprise and Lotors hands closed over his on the controls of the Black Lion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll fly, you focus,” Lotor murmured in his ear, and Lance swallowed hard. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith, take command,” he ordered. “But </span>
  <em>
    <span>do not</span>
  </em>
  <span> retreat until we have the Blue Lion under control!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance closed his eyes, and relaxed, allowing Lotor to guide his hands on the controls of his Lion. He reached for Blue in his mind, desperately searching for her nurturing presence, for her loving support of the other Lions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Blue, come home, please</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he begged her, finally finding a thread of her consciousness like a clear blue flame in the depths of his memory. The flame flickered, recognizing him, gravitating towards him, and Lance fanned it desperately closer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Blue, protect us, we need you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well done Lance, hold that connection,” Lotor’s voice dripped into his ear.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Come home, Blue</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could feel the glittering pink essence of Allura’s connection to Blue fighting him for dominance, but she was distracted, not trying to become one with her Lion anymore, just desperately fending off Keith's attacks. Lance knew she still struggled with letting the Lion lead her instead of just forcing her into movement, and he could feel Blue pulling away, could feel Allura slipping into a deep burgundy rage.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Blue,” he heard his own voice say, and the connection severed, leaving him with the full extent of Blues power. It collided with his connection to Black, swarming him like bruises, colliding and melting him from the inside out. He screamed as the power of both Lions crashed inside his chest; it felt like he was holding the ocean there, a hurricane, a tornado, a forest fire. It was the kind of pain Lance had only experienced once- it felt like dying. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need to go!” He heard Lotor shout behind him. “Something is wrong with Lance!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Retreat!” Keith ordered, voice unsteady, and beneath the pain, Lance felt a stab of annoyance: he’d told Keith not to retreat until they had Allura back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about Allura?” Pidge yelled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance is more important right now. We’ll deal with her later!” Keith shouted, and Lance leaned his head back against Lotors shoulder, unable to do anything but try and breathe.   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He led them home, the Blue Lion trailing behind, paladinless. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>They spent the next few quintants in a stunned stupor, taking turns at Lance’s bedside. Nobody could stay long, as the sight of Lance writhing and sobbing under the sheets for the second time in three months was extremely disturbing. After four quintants, Lance had finally stabilized enough to get up and walk around a little bit using a crutch, but he was still sleeping most of the day. On the evening of the fifth quintant, Keith corralled the paladins, Shiro, Romelle, and Lotor into the lounge- and they all waited for Hunk to bring Lance in from the infirmary. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“So what are we supposed to do about Allura?” Romelle demanded before anyone could say anything. “When are we going to get her back?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>Keith cleared his throat awkwardly, “She started attacking </span>
  <em>
    <span>us</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Romelle. I don’t think she </span>
  <em>
    <span>wants</span>
  </em>
  <span> to come back.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“She… she sort of started fighting for Honerva. I think… she must have been chipped, somehow, like the other Alteans,” Pidge said in a small voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Or she’s a psychotic bitch.” Romelle muttered bitterly, and the others all flinched, staring at her in surprise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry Romelle,” Pidge said, tears welling up in their eyes. “I don’t know… we couldn’t do anything to stop it- and then Lance… I don’t know but Lance did something, and the Blue Lion rejected her, and-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So even if we do get her back, she won’t be able to pilot the Lion?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A connection can be reforged,” Shiro said carefully, “But Romelle- do you really think she started fighting for Honerva by choice?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll never know for sure until we find her and ask her ourselves,” Keith said, looking over at the door, where Hunk was walking in with his arm firmly around Lance, allowing the shorter man to lean most of his weight on him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Romelle nodded sharply, and marched to the door, stopping to lay her fingers lightly against a bruise on Lance’s cheek before leaving. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How are you feeling, buddy?” Shiro asked quietly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pissed off,” Lance responded, narrowing his eyes, “Confused, sad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah that about sums it up,” Pidge agreed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance grinned, trying to keep the reality of the situation from setting in. He still felt totally drained, but he’d finally forced the Blue Lion back in his consciousness, though she was furious with Allura, and wanted him back badly enough that she’d actually challenged Black. He couldn’t feel her anywhere currently, and that was upsetting, but the turmoil of having two Lions fighting for his energy was finally over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re gonna love this one, guys,” he said, lifting the hem of his shirt and showing them the deep blue and black bruises painted over his abdomen and chest, all the way up his throat to the one on his cheek that Romelle had just brushed her fingers over. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the hell,” Shiro grimaced, “How could she-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Romelle is correct, though- she could have chosen to side with Honerva. It seems unlikely but… if so… It’s my fault,” Lotor groaned, collapsing into a chair. The others all started, looking over at him in confusion. “After we entered the quintessence field, I noticed Allura beginning to act strangely. She seemed to have this odd vendetta against the Galra- despite the fact that she seemed to accept me, I could see her becoming cooler in her interactions with Keith and Kolivan-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I noticed that, too,” Keith agreed, jaw clenched into a grim line, “I figured it was just because she’s never liked me, ever since she found out I was half Galra. But then she started dating you, and I thought it was just me…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought so as well,” Lotor answered, somewhat guiltily. “But occasionally she would say odd things- things about eliminating the Galra rather than just ending their regime. I always assumed it was out of simple anger- that she would never act on such horrific impulses.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance inhaled shakily, and Hunk guided him to sit down on a nearby couch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just can’t believe that she would ever have the capacity for that kind of hate…” Shiro murmured. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The quintessence field has a way of amplifying feelings that may otherwise remain dormant.” Lotor pushed a hand through his hair wearily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I guess we have to infiltrate Oriande,” Lance groaned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We won’t have Voltron though,” Hunk sighed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well…” Lance narrowed his eyes, ducking his head into his hands as he thought. “Here’s the plan,” He said, sitting up suddenly, eyes flashing with determination. It wasn’t a look that was particularly familiar on his face- even when Lance was planning, making decisions, he retained a sense of playfulness. “We’re doing a stealth operation removal of Allura. I’ll need the Lions equipt with cloaking tech, Pidge, and we’ll have Blue wait on the outskirts for Allura. Tactical support only from the ATLAS- Coran will provide that from the bridge-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about me?” Shiro asked, looking over at Lance skeptically. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re with me in Black.” Lance said grimly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I won’t pilot the Black Lion, Lance, I’m not even sure that I can!” Shiro snarled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s only for a worst case scenario!” Lance told him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not taking the Black Lion back. It would be like… moving backwards. You’ve outgrown the Blue Lion, Lance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need you to lead, Lance. You’re the best one for the job,” Keith insisted, sitting down next to Lance on the couch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I said worst case scenario!” Lance snapped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine. Who’s going in?” Keith asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are. And Pidge as well.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Lotor said incredulously, “I don’t mean to offend you at all, Pidge, we all admire you greatly, but in close hand combat- which is a real possibility here-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance waved his protests away with a graceful hand, “Pidge, Hunk and Keith have the most experience with this type of mission. Keith has done many stealth missions with the Blade, and Hunk and Pidge single- well, dual handedly infiltrated the majority of prison fortresses to free the Galra Empires prisoners with Matt after Commander Holt's death.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No look high five,” Pidge said, and Hunk slapped their hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Romelle frowned, “Does it count if you say ‘no look high five’ before you-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Focus!” Lance ordered. “Pidge, can you see if you can get us some approximate schematics of Oriande based on Lotor’s memory and any data we gathered when we were there?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will do, gov’ner,” Pidge said, bowing and grabbing Lotor’s giant forearm in their tiny hand. “Come on, Lankenstien-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Lotor looked around in bewilderment as the room exploded into a chorus of, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Frankenstein was the scientist, not the monster!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know! Quiznak!” Pidge snapped, pulling the perplexed Lotor out of the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll get Ember to help me with supplying those Lions with cloaking tech,” Hunk said, standing up and cracking his back once before following Pidge out of the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The mission went fairly smoothly for the first hour or so, they arrived at Oriande without a hitch, Pidge’s cloaking technology standing up beautifully against the pressure of the wormhole Lotor made them. Unfortunately, Lotor wasn’t as adept at using Altean energy as Allura was; he could only get them to their destination before needing to rest for at least an hour, and was therefore waiting in the Blue Lion, sleeping and trying to regain his strength.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re in, and we’re looking through what we hypothesized to be the prison block for some way for Pidge to hack into the mainframe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Remember that Lotor said there might not be one,” Lance cautioned, turning the volume up slightly on Keith’s audio. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve released the Spiders,” Hunk said, referring to the spindly observation drones Pidge had programmed back when they were searching for Sam Holt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Doesn’t look like theres an in to the mainframe as it’s being mostly powered by Honerva’s quintessence, so there’s not a lot of traceable tech,” Pidge said, hesitating as they searched for the right words to ‘dumb things down’ for the others. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guys, I found Allura,” Hunk said grimly. “But it’s not good.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is she ok?” Lance asked, voice betraying him as panic seeped through. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s fine. That’s kinda the problem. And Keith, Pidge, you need to get the fuck out of there, right now!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An image popped up on Lance’s screen. Allura, standing tall and proud next to Honerva, pointing to a map that looked horrifyingly like the one they used on the ATLAS to track the movement of Matt and the rebels. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sound?” Keith croaked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...we should be able to draw them to us by attacking these rebel bases, but I don’t want anyone hurt.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, Princess Allura, only the Galra must pay for their crimes. I’ve no interest in innocent civilians.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What will you do, once you have Voltron?” Allura asked, “They are… I’m rather attached to them, you know.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And they will not be harmed!” Honerva assured her, “We will have to sacrifice the Lions, of course, as only their quintessence is powerful enough to begin a new branch of reality, but if we sever the bond between paladin and Lion, your friends will be just fine.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Allura nodded grimly, and her eyes fixed directly on the spider in the corner of the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re here,” she whispered, and the image snapped out as Honerva’s foot came down over the drone. In the back of his mind, Lance could feel the thin tendrils of Allura’s weak connection to Blue tighten, pulling the Lion closer to Oriande, calling on the others to follow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need to go!” Lance cried, but it was too late, she was in his head, yanking him out of his seat and into an unfamiliar void. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cub</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Blue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>My boy. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Black. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance!” Keith, hurtling towards the white light at the center of this strange dimension beside him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pidge! Grab on!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hunk!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then they were speeding towards the unknown, the cloyingly sweet juniberry essence of Allura’s voice echoing through their heads and filling their senses with perfume. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is this?” Lance gasped as they hit a clear wall of what looked like glass, but was cold and slippery like ice. Strange creatures swam beneath the surface of the glass, whirling orange and navy and pink under their feet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A prison, I’m afraid,” Allura said, standing in front of them in her old dress, hair loose and lovely as it floated around her face. “Honerva has learned to trap the paladins of old in her own consciousness- but we have lost them. Now, we need them back, and you are going to bring them to us. My father… he will help us.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your father was not one to aid genocide, judging by Coran’s and your stories of him,” Pidge spat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He will protect his people,” Allura said sadly. “You can leave once we have done what we need to do.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re going to trap us here and try to sever our connection with our Lions,” Keith gasped, and the glass beneath his feet began to melt, sucking him down into the strange water below. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith!” Lance lunged forwards, hands just brushing Keith’s fingertips as he fell. Ghostly blue hands were reaching through the glassy surface now, attaching to the other paladins and dragging them under. Lance desperately tried to catch hold of them, but the surface was slick and there were simply too many disembodied arms clutching at his friends. He was lost in the shouting, in fear, and when they had all disappeared beneath the surface, Lance looked up to find Allura, and discovered that he was alone. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He slammed his bayard into the wall of Honervas consciousness ceaselessly, but it did not give way for him, and he gritted his teeth as it rebounded into his hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck!” He cried, sinking to his knees after what felt like an hour of fighting with the wall to let him through, and retracting the bayard. “Please,” he begged the void, thinking of Hunk, behind that wall, afraid and looking for guidance. Of Pidge, whose family was on the ATLAS, waiting for them. Of what would happen if he couldn’t get them back- how he was going to tell Krolia- how he was going to tell Shiro. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please,” he gasped again, throat like glass. Suddenly, a familiar roar sounded behind him. Lance sat up, and there was the Black Lion, -a real one, with sharp fangs and intelligent eyes- sitting in front of him like he had been there the whole time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Black paladin. You’re new,” A familiar voice rumbled, and Lance turned, coming face to face with Zarkon. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge was choking, hands covering them and dragging them under the slick surface of Honerva’s consciousness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance! Hunk! Keith! Allura, Allura, please!” They called, but they couldn’t hear their own voice. Suddenly, the choking stopped, and Pidge was standing in a moss covered forest, green light around them and the scent of pines overwhelming. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They looked up to see a large jewel-toned moon in the distance, casting an emerald glow over the stars and the wispy nebula. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guys?” Pidge panted, “Guys do you copy?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge heard a footstep, and turned just in time to see a shadowy figure with a large green ax flying at them. They dodged, tucking and rolling the way Shiro had taught them so long ago. It was second nature now, this fighting reflex, Pidge realized as they dodged and parried, evading the shadow with dexterity and calm that fifteen-year-old Pidge could have only dreamed of. Pidge still felt fifteen, sometimes, especially with their mother aboard the ATLAS as the ship's botanist. But other times, like now, Pidge felt as though they had lived several lifetimes of war. Pidge called desperately for Green, reaching for the practical reassurance of the Lion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Pidge had returned to Earth after becoming a paladin, they had discovered an old alchemical symbol: a green lion, devouring the sun. After much research, Pidge had discovered that the symbol had a few meanings, and had copied these into the tablet to read to the Green Lion herself one evening in the hangar. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“On a chemical level this drawing is a metaphor for when a green, liquid sulfate called “vitriol” purifies matter, leaving behind only the gold within the matter. Very pure vitriol is an acid that eats through practically anything, except gold,” Pidge had explained to the Lion. They had later (very carefully, as the acid was extremely dangerous and could have easily eaten away Pidge’s hands if it was spilled, even under thick paladin gloves) used sulfuric acid to purify the gold from an old wristwatch of their fathers, and reshaped the pure metal into matching bracelets for them, their mother, and their brother. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It can also be used as a metaphor for photosynthesis in naturalist alchemy, and in humans, someone who is on a spiritual journey or a quest for enlightenment can allow the green lion to eat them in order to be purified, I guess to become ‘spiritually golden’.” Pidge had told the Lion, and she had grumbled happily as they sat together under the starry Earth sky. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Help me, girl, please</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Pidge begged, dodging another blow, and a roar cut through the strange silence of the place. Pidge looked up to see a real Lion (albeit with green fur and oddly intelligent eyes) stalking across the mossy forest floor. The shadow figure ducked, and the giant Green Lion opened her mouth and swallowed them whole. Pidge blinked, staring at her, and she turned tail and curled into a ball. Pidge sat down, and waited. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Not A Green Sock Reality</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm sorry part 2?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hunk fired his cannon point blank into the center of the shadow creature, but it didn’t even waver. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yellow, I need you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He begged for what felt like the thousandth time, reaching out for the solid, unwavering nature of the Lion. Yellow was like that- sure and unchanging, always looking out for everyone, but making sure Hunk took care of himself, too. Hunk thought of the time they had been lost in space, when he had called out for Yellow to help him help his friends, and the Lion had answered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yellow</span>
  </em>
  <span>, they </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> us. He called, and his vision was filled with bright golden mane. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, bud,” He gasped as the Lion drew himself up to full height, and -to Hunk’s shock, swallowed his opponent whole in one massive roar. Hunk stumbled back across the ground, and Yellow followed, resting his head in Hunk’s lap. Hunk ran his fingers through the Lion's mane and waited. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Red, thank you, but…” Keith dragged his hand over Red’s smooth back, and she turned her fierce eyes on him, as if challenging him to protest her eating his opponent. Then she stood up, walked a few steps away, and sat down, looking at him expectantly. Where she had been laying seconds before, a figure dressed in paladin armour was now laying, panting heavily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“King- King Alfor?” Keith gasped, rushing to help the Altean king to his feet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello, son,” the older man coughed, clapping a hand over Keith’s shoulder in a gesture so reminiscent of Coran that Keith almost choked up. He wanted to see the ridiculous Altean so badly it hurt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Honerva… Honerva really trapped you here!” Keith stared wide-eyed at Alfor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” he said sadly, running a hand over his broadsword. The same kind Lance used, Keith realized. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love him too, you know,” Alfor said, and Keith saw a flash of Coran’s face, young and laughing, then weeping, as Alfor sent him away with the Castle and Allura, to keep her safe from Zarkon in the final battle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s a good man,” Keith nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A great one,” Alfor smiled sadly. “I could not have chosen you all a better caretaker.” Another flash, and Keith saw Coran, Zarkon and Alfor all sitting around a table with a game that looked something like monopoly between them, laughing as Zarkon flipped the board over in a playful rage. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Zarkon was always a terrible loser,” Alfor remembered. Keith remembered Lance’s rage at losing to Shiro time after time at the billiards table on the ATLAS. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re similar,” he said, and he saw Alfor holding Zarkon in a close embrace, the image flickering between himself and Lance in an almost identical hug, standing in the conference room on the ATLAS. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They are.” Alfor walked over to Red, brushing his hand over her nose. “You love him, don’t you?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith froze, “I- I guess I do. I wish I didn’t,” He laughed bitterly, and Alfor laughed, too, not unkindly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He is so like my daughter, you know. He has an impossible task ahead of him. No paladin has ever had to hold the energy of both Lions, but if you all want to escape this place, he will have to. He is lucky to have someone like you there for him.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s going to have to take the Blue Lion from Allura again?” Keith gasped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alfor nodded sadly.   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “He barely survived the first time!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In order to escape, you will have to sever my daughters connection to the Blue Lion,” Alfor said. “However, the Lion’s connection can only be severed in death.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith gasped, shaking his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alfor smiled, but his eyes were solemn. “My daughter… she is not the woman you once knew. I’m afraid darkness has corrupted her very soul.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How can you ask this of us,” Keith cried, outraged. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wish there was another way,” Alfor whispered, pulling Keith into a hug. “But the fate of all realities rests in your hands now, son. Remember, though, the most amazing journey you will ever go on, is that of life, the people you find, those you lose. You have chosen well, I think, on the people you have chosen to make that journey with.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now, you need to reach out for Blue, and bring her back to the others,” Alfor told him. “I’ll help guide you.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge stared in amazement as the Green Lion stood, revealing Trigel, the original Green paladin, crouched where she had been laying. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Trigel?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where am I?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The void- you’ve been trapped just outside of Honerva’s consciousness for 10,000 years,” Pidge told her, offering their hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is this- this is your bond with Green?” Trigel smiled, looking around, “It’s beautiful.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, for not attacking me,” Pidge laughed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t tell you how it warms my heart to see the bond you’ve built with Green.  My race believes observation to be the most revered attribute. It is where intelligence is born, and you Pidge, are nothing if not observant and intelligent. The infinite abilities of your mind dwarf the smallness of your size, just like Green. I’m proud of you, Pidge, you’ve really… come into your own out there. I can feel it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge smiled, nodding through the tears that were trickling into the hollows under their eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now, we need to call for Blue, bring her back with us when we leave this void,” Trigel told them. “I’ll help guide you.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hunk pulled Gyrgan to his feet, and the alien man smiled down at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have always believed that true strength means unwavering trust, and unity,” he said, once Hunk had explained where they were. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me too,” Hunk grinned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“True unity and trust can only be born of love, and Hunk… if what the Lion has shown me is true, you have a vast amount of love for your fellow beings inside of you. I’m proud to see that you have become someone they can count on.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hunk smiled, ducking his head to hide his pleased flush. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, I was a bit of a chef myself,” Gyrgan grinned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” The man laughed, throwing his head back. “Blaytz was always the cook of the group. Alfor burnt </span>
  <em>
    <span>water</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and the others ate to survive. They didn’t appreciate his cooking. But I did. Food brings us together- it’s unity, too, in it’s own way. Cooking and eating together… those are my most fond memories of my fellow paladins. I’m glad you could bring that to this generation of Voltron paladins.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll have to get some recipes from you,” Hunk joked, and Gyrgan laughed, low and deep like the bells in the ancient cathedrals Hunk had visited in Europe, a lifetime ago now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And rescuing all those prisoners-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well that was Pidge and Matt, really, I just helped.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gyrgan wrapped his arm around Hunk’s shoulders, “Supporting your friends' endeavors through hard times is just as important as actually doing those endeavours- sometimes moreso. They’re going to need you, Hunk. And I know you’ll be there for them. Yellow could not have asked for a more perfect paladin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hunk smiled happily, leaning into the older man. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We must call for Blaytz, bring him and Blue back with us when we return to your leader. I’ll help guide you.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“They trusted you,” Lance snapped, staring at Zarkon, who stared back impassively. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They trusted you, and you betrayed them. That’s the worst kind of leadership. The kind that takes advantage of those who rely on you. No wonder Black rejected you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Zarkon sighed, and Lance noticed his face was young- younger than Lance had ever seen him. “I sensed you were here. I sent your friends beyond the veil-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the fuck, man!” Lance cried, calling for his bayard. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To find mine!” Zarkon called, holding out a hand. “I sent them to find the other original paladins! They are the only ones who can help you now! All I want is to create a world where all live peacefully! To undo my mistakes!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance scoffed, “Oh and I’m supposed to believe that!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s been a few years contemplating infinity,” Zarkon grumbled, “I’ve had time to think.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right.” Lance rolled his eyes. “You killed my best friend's father!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And your best friend- Blues’ paladin- is going to kill all of you if you don’t listen!” Zarkon roared. “The quintessence blinds you! It makes you do things you never thought were possible! It eats away at your soul until there is nothing left to save and the only way to escape is to die!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance stumbled back, bayard retracting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You mean…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If Blues’ paladin has fallen prey to the darkness, it is too late,” Zarkon told him heavily. “You never give up, my boy, I know this about you, because it is a trait that we share. It is common in the Galra, we engrain it into our young people from birth. You have seen it in your right hand- in the Reds’ paladin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m nothing like you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are all the best parts of me, my boy, and that’s why Black chose you. That is why you make a good team.” An image flashed in Lance’s mind, Zarkon and Alfor, hugging tightly, laughing together, sparring and walking along a crystalline Altean beach. Playing with each other's children, exchanging meaningful glances during battle that only the other truly understood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We were close. I would never have let that go if not for the influence of quintessence,” Zarkon said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do we do?” Lance asked, knees feeling weak and shaky as he stared up at the young face of Zarkon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Greatest enemy. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Only ally</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Call them,” Zarkon answered simply. “You will have to fight the madness, though, Lance. You will have to find a way to balance the Blue and Black Lion’s within yourself. I can help you, but you must be steadfast.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance nodded, taking Zarkon’s proffered hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Call the Green Lion. Think of what makes them special, how you care about them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance thought of the evenings spent desperately trying to beat seemingly impossible levels of video games, of Pidge’s ecstatic grin when they finally managed it. Of their unwavering love for their family, their determination to never see another soul imprisoned by the Galra again. He thought of their bravery, the way they never gave up, even when they were a fifteen year-old child, still struggling to understand their own identity in the midst of a war they hadn’t known existed. He thought of their quick jokes, their sailor swearing, their impossible bright smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pidgeon!” Lance had an armful of Green paladin, holding Pidge’s feet off the ground and laughing delightedly as the Black Lion grumbled happily over Green.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No time, my boy, find Yellow,” Zarkon encouraged, resting a massive hand on Lance’s shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance reached out searching for the solid warmth of Hunk, the way the other boy always knew how to make him smile. His limitless empathy and fantastic hugs. He reached for the way Hunk loved them, and the way even a grouchy Keith would never lash out at the gentle boy. He thought about how his niece and nephew loved Hunk, how his mother begged for recipes, how Hunk was unfailingly giving and sunny. He thought of Hunk’s faith in them, his belief that maybe there was a reason they’d been brought into this war. The way he smiled like he could hardly contain it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance- thank Quiznak you’re ok! Pidge!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance was wrapped in a fantastic hug instantly, burying his head in Hunk’s shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Red,” Zarkon told him, and Hunk stared in shock at the Galra Emperor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll explain later,” Lance said, “First we have to get everyone out of the void, that’s how Honerva trapped the original paladins.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Find him,” Zarkon nodded. “It shouldn’t be so hard.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance blushed, but closed his eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Keith</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His hotheaded determination. His biting tongue, which had been so irritating when they were kids, but was kind of funny, now. The way he’d thrown his own hand in front of Lance’s face- the way he always threw himself in front of Lance, protecting him with every ounce of strength he had. The way his eyes sparkled when he laughed, the way he smiled like it hurt. His soft hair, his quick movements, his surprising patience when training them. The way Lance wanted to pull him into the very core of his being and keep him there, like a little flame that grew and filled his muscles and chest cavity with fierce stubbornness and outlasting loyalty. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>loved</span>
  </em>
  <span> him. He knew that, but he’d never untangled it like this.    </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re back,” Lance breathed, felt arms wrapping around his chest and waist, pinning his arms to his sides and pressing his back to Keith’s chest. “You’re all back.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll always come back for you,” Keith whispered, and Lance closed his eyes for a moment, willing the tears of relief and affection for his team away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have to call Blue, now, and I’m going to have to balance the Lions so… so Allura can’t gain control,” Lance told them, turning to face the seven paladins standing before him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A paladin bond can only be truly broken in death, so she will still have access to the Blue Lion.” Zarkon explained, and the others eyed him distrustfully. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This will be a battle like nothing you’ve faced before,” Alfor said, “Take a moment to prepare.” He drew Zarkon away, huddling with him and the other paladins, all of them speaking in low voices, anger and pain surging from them until finally…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Forgiveness</span>
  </em>
  <span>.   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Leave them,” Lance said, “They’re trying to do something kind of impossible. And so are we.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to check on Green,” Pidge said in a small voice. Hunk nodded mutely, following them over to where the Lions were settled together in a clump of massive tails and huge paws.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s going to be ok,” Keith assured Lance, softly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I hope so,” Lance replied doubtfully, sitting down on the strange barrier. “We </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> to stop Honerva.” He dropped his hands to his lap, clenching his fists till the knuckles turned white. “She has a plan that could destroy </span>
  <em>
    <span>every reality</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and all we’ve come up with is ‘Lance, you need to do something impossible while keeping everyone else alive’?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith frowned, and -against his better judgement- crouched down and rested his hand over one of Lance’s, rubbing his narrow brown wrist gently with his thumb. Everything about Lance was narrow, but strong. He was elegant and lean in a way that made Keith think maybe he should have been a dancer. Of course, he was much bulkier now than he had been when they first arrived on the Castle of Lions, but he’d retained that sort of accidental grace that made Keith notice him when they were training together in the Garrison. And the smirk, of course. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Remember when we first arrived on the Castle of Lions?” Keith asked, allowing his expression to soften. “When we first met Allura? She told us we were the answer to saving the Universe, but she didn’t know that for sure.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance looked up at Keith quizzically, unclenching his fist, but not pulling away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But Allura believed, and she needed us to believe. And it worked.” Keith grinned, grabbing Lance’s other hand and pressing his thumb into his pulse point. “And you- you pulled us back from being sucked into Honerva’s consciousness forever, just by believing in us. You can do this. </span>
  <em>
    <span>We</span>
  </em>
  <span> can do this.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Back then, I was actually cocky enough to think I was the greatest pilot in the Universe,” Lance said, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I thought I could do everything by myself,” Keith replied. “We’ve come a long way since then.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance chuckled, “Yeah, we have.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith stood, pulling Lance to his feet, “We haven’t lost until we’ve lost hope.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not giving up,” Lance said, face setting determinedly. “Let’s finish what we started.” And he pulled Keith into a warm hug, breathing into his hair. Keith allowed himself one inhale (Lance always smelled like lavender and sandalwood) and pulled away before he crumbled in Lances’ arms. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to keep it together. For the team. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had to keep it together. For the team. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Blue</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance was ready for the collision of the Lions this time, ready for the splitting pain in his head as their energy fought for his attention. Lance stood stock still, barely feeling the other paladins hands on him as he gasped and groaned desperately clawing at nothing just to feel like he was doing </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance.” A voice cut through the pain, and Lance stared into the face of Blaytz, the original Blue Paladin, as the lanky alien looked at him in concern. The pain didn’t stop, but it lessened, and Lance was able to stop writhing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Hold that connection</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He heard Lotor’s voice echoing in his mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You’re doing so well</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s get out of here,” Lance said. And then suddenly they were back in their individual Lions, hurtling back through the strange light of the void. Strange creatures were attacking them from every angle, and they were lost in a seemingly endless swirl of monsters, desperately calling to each other for backup, unable to form Voltron and fight through. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re almost out!” Keith gasped, “I can see the edge of the energy surge!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then they burst out of the void and into the bright white light of Oriande. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the Quiznak-” Lotor’s voice echoed through the audio, and Shiro shouted incoherently into Lance’s ear. Lance shook, the pain returning suddenly, but he pushed it down, willing Black and Blue to cooperate. He felt a surge of energy ripping through him, and lifted one hand towards the Robeasts that were setting upon them. Black and Blue both opened their mouths, and torrents of ice blasted through the air from the Lions throats, freezing the Robeasts where they stood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance?” Pidge asked quietly, “How did you do that?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know!” Lance cried. “Sound off. Then we land, and finish this once and for all.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here. Pidge.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“H- Hunk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lotor. This is...” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shiro, I don’t want to be here, though.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll send your complaints to headquarters,” Pidge grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everyone ok?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine, Keith. Everyone, land your Lions around Allura and Honerva, but be on your guard. We have no idea what weapons they are using right now, and the last thing we want is to face them in the interdimensional void,” Lance ordered, guiding Black to the ground and calling Blue to follow. Allura and Honerva watched carefully, not attacking, barely moving. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everyone out of your Lions,” Lance ordered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just do it!” Lance insisted. “We stand a better chance in hand to hand combat.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s over, Honerva,” Shiro announced firmly, stepping out of the Black Lion to join the other paladins and Lotor on the ground.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You think you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>safe</span>
  </em>
  <span> in your numbers? Soon you will </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> cease to exist, and a new world will be born from your ashes- a world with no Galra, and no Voltron.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you planning, Honerva?” Lotor demanded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We are going to find a reality in which none of this ever happened!” Allura spat, and Honerva gazed at them almost dreamily, stepping towards Lotor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You could have prevented this,” She whispered, “If you had just loved me! I’m your mother-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are not my mother!” Lotor snarled, slapping Honerva’s hand away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am your mother! You’ll see! We are going to find a reality where my family stays whole, and good!” Honerva wailed, her pupils dilating concerningly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You lied to me,” Allura murmured, staring at Honerva, and for a moment, Lance felt hope bloom in his chest. Allura lifted a strange looking weapon -a small Komar, Lance realized- and raised it above her head, striking down, hard. Honerva screamed, her face twisting in a hideous mask of pain as her flesh shriveled and died around her bones. Lotor yelped as she fell towards him, crumbling into dust. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Allura-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t come near me!” Allura cried wildly, “I’m going to power this Komar,” She gestured at the massive structure above them. “and it’s going to give me the ability to jump through as many realities as I want, and I’m going to destroy every, last one of them!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Shiro gasped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m starting fresh!” Allura cried, tears streaming from her wide eyes, turning in a slow circle as she pointed her weapon at them each in turn. “I’m erasing the Galra from existence- I’m beginning again with a new collection of realities, ones where there isn’t so much pain! Don’t you want that? Don’t you?” Her voice was pitched high and hysterical, eyes wild as quintessence coursed through her. Lance looked down and saw that her feet were submerged in a pool of the stuff, all the way up to her ankles. They were mottled and grey, old, in contrast to the rest of her young body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked over at Shiro, who had one hand on Pidges shoulder, and was staring Allura down dangerously. Pidge looked… well, they looked sixteen. Lance couldn’t imagine going through what Pidge had gone at that impossibly young age. He cast his gaze to Hunk, who was holding Pidges hand in his, not a trace of fear in his expression. They’d grown up so much, but standing in the white light of Oriande, they all looked so </span>
  <em>
    <span>young</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re talking like a crazy person!” Hunk exclaimed, sorrow clouding his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re going to start over, Hunk,” Allura said, slowly. “This is the best way- your families will be safe- the </span>
  <em>
    <span>universe</span>
  </em>
  <span> will be safe from the tyranny of the Galra, and then you can all go home!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “Allura,” Lotor said gently, “All these worlds- all these realities? They deserve to live. We need them.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Those realities are flawed! They are living out the same pathetic cycle of cruelty and destruction!” Allura clenched her fists around her weapon, and Lance reached his right arm out for Keith compulsively, grabbing his hand and pulling himself closer to the Reds’ paladin. Keith rubbed a gentle circle against Lance’s pulse point with his thumb.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Allura-” Lance looked frantically from Allura to Lotor, who she was slowly walking towards, swinging her weapon. Lotor was pale, still, weakened by his wormhole efforts, but holding his ground.    </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I lost my mother, my father, and my planet to war,” Allura said, staring at the paladins. “This has been what my true goal was from the beginning! I want the Galra gone, I want my father back. And I can have that, if you all just let me try!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But if you erase the Galra, we won’t ever meet!” Hunk cried, “You guys- the crew on the Atlas, the people we’ve met in this crazy war have become our family! And sure, we’ve lost a lot. We’ve suffered more than we ever imagined we would, but we have</span>
  <em>
    <span> each other</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t trade that for anything,” Lance agreed, staring at Allura. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I will find you! I’ll come to Earth, and I’ll find you all,” Allura insisted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You realize that if you erase the Galra, you erase Keith, right?” Shiro glared at Allura, who turned her head away. “And Lotor-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have a chance to change this, we </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to take it!” Allura cried, and the entire team turned to stare at her in disbelief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So was this the end goal the entire time? Were you just using us?” Pidge demanded, voice cracking slightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course not, Pidge,” Allura said gently, “Just let me show you-” She stepped forwards, reaching for Pidge, who stumbled back a few steps and shook their head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Allura, please, listen to us, we need you! The Allura that wants to save the universe, not destroy it and start from scratch!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Don’t you see, Pidge? There’s nothing left worth saving!” Lance heard a thud, and Pidge stumbled back, but before Lance could help them, Allura was attacking. If they hadn’t been so exhausted, the paladins would have easily won the fight, but their reluctance to hurt Allura weakened them, and she seemed to grow stronger with every blow she landed on them. The wounds made by her weapon were terribly painful, and they were accompanied by a tugging sensation that came from deep within their guts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Allura, please, stop this!” Shiro gasped, dodging out of the way. Pidge was lying nearby, unconscious after being knocked down seven flights of stairs that led to the platform, and Hunk had run after them, corralling the weakened Lotor away as well. Lotor had been an asset in the first few minutes of the fight, but Allura clearly recognized his strength, and had struck him across the face with her weapon. Lotor had dropped like a stone. Shiro, Keith and Lance were just barely holding off the Altean woman. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Lance, we can’t keep this up for long,” Shiro said grimly, parrying a blow from Allura’s blade with his arm and wincing at the scraping noise it made on the prosthetic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Guys-” Keith yelled, and Lance dodged out of the way of Keith’s misthrown blade just in time for Allura to knock him to the ground, slamming the blade of her Komar into his calf. Lance only just bit back a scream, and rolled out of the way.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I’m sorry!” Keith yelled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Allura, come on, we’re your friends- we love you!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I’m doing this for you!” Allura cried, and searing pain split through Lance’s calf as he stood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Fuck!” He hissed, throwing her off and swiping her blade away from his face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I don’t want to hurt you!” Allura cried. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Then stop!” Keith grunted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Allura it’s not even possible!” Hunk cried from far below them, “Anything powerful enough to jump you from reality to reality would just destroy them, and you’d need far more power than you have to create whole new ones!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Stop talking!” Allura shrieked, aiming her weapon at him. A blast of light shot out, and Hunk yelped, ducking out of the way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Lance!” Shiro yelled, dodging out of the way of another beam of light from Allura’s weapon. “What do we do?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <em>
    <span>The quintessence blinds you. It eats away at your soul until there is nothing left to save and the only way to escape is to die</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I can’t,” Lance choked aloud, and Keith looked over at him in concern, then back to Allura, who was forcing Shiro back to the edge of the diais. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“You-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Zarkon said-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Alfor told me-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>They couldn’t get near her. The beam she was casting with the strange komar weapon was everywhere, ricocheting off the pillars and blowing into smoke inches from their feet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Cover me,” Lance said grimly as he watched Shiro duck and roll down the steps to escape Allura’s assault. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance.” Keith stared at him, something burning and unnamable in his gaze. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s been a pleasure flying with you,” Lance muttered, and Keith darted forwards, blocking Allura’s weapon with his blade and grunting with the effort. They were locked together in a bind, and Allura was hissing things at Lance that he was not prepared to hear come out of her mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, Lance, you know they’re all terrible! Look at what Lotor did to those poor people- the world is better off if we take all this away!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about Keith, Allura? And Krolia and Kolivan? And Axca-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Acxa, Ezor and Zethrid only joined us when there was no other option!” Allura growled, and her arm slipped under Keith’s, blade heading straight for his chest. Keith ducked, leaving Lance with an opening. Lance closed his eyes and flicked his wrist the way Keith had taught him, wincing at the blade bit flesh. Allura screamed, slumping over Lance’s shoulder as he pressed the sword into her abdomen. Allura screamed, and Lance realized he was crying as he pressed the sword into her abdomen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other paladins were shrieking, calling out desperately for Lance to stop, but he kept the blade in place, allowing Allura to collapse over his shoulder, coughing blood onto his armour as he slowly lowered her to the ground. At the sight of the wound the shock of what he had done washed over him, and Lance stumbled a few paces away before vomiting onto the pristine white ground. Voices surged around him, the essential forms of the original paladins floated in and out of his vision, and Lance kept wretching until he spat bile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s ok, Lance, it’s over, it’s going to be ok,” Shiro said soothingly beside him, and Lance turned to see Allura sprawled out on the ground, her Altean marks dripping down her face in sharp lines, much like Honervas. Shiro pulled Lance to his feet, and a sobbing Pidge took a deep breath and nodded solemnly at the original paladins, raising one arm in salute as they all backed away into their shadowy phantom Lions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Differing command to Keith,” Lance mumbled to Shiro, who nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Differing command to Keith!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everyone to your Lions!  Follow usual emergency evacuation procedures as quickly as possible. We’re getting the Alteans, destroying this Komar, and closing the gate to Oriande for good,” Keith said grimly. “Let’s do this.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance’s head was swimming, but Shiro managed to prop him up in the pilots seat on the Black Lion, who grumbled in annoyance and immediately turned tail on Oriande as the others shattered Honerva’s Komar and collected as many remaining Alteans as they could find. Lance watched the world whip by him in flashes as Black flew after the others, hurrying them along. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cub. My boy</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Blue</span>
  </em>
  <span>?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>So proud</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, Blue,” Lance sighed, understanding, somehow, what Blue was asking of him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go,” Keith commanded, and the four remaining Lions of Voltron roared in salute as they left Oriande, leaving the Blue Lion standing over her former paladin as the structure crumbled into ice around her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is she doing?” Pidge cried. “Lance- call her!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! She’s closing the gate,” Lotor gasped, and white light flooded Lance's vision, so bright he could feel it tearing him into tiny pieces until it was the only thing he could sense, and he screamed, but no sound came out. Years later- decades, maybe, he found himself back in the cockpit of Black, helmet on, leg still throbbing with pain, the sky around him black and sprinkled with stars. Blue was gone; the feeling of colossus in his chest was replaced with a sharp ache and a deep sense of emptiness.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is this- are we-” Keith’s voice cracked over the mic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yep,” Pidge replied quietly. “This is our reality.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And even though Lance could barely speak, he managed to whimper “I’m so sorry,” into his mic before everything went black. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I should have seen it</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Keith thought as the light flashed through him. It felt like being shocked by lightning, like being torn open from the inside out, burned alive. It didn’t hurt half as much as Allura’s betrayal. And his own failure. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I should have seen it- I should have noticed right from the moment she found out I was Galra</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Keith had been so desperate for her to accept him. Had wanted so terribly to be part of the family bond she seemed to have with the others. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I should have seen the warning signs in that ridiculous speech she gave me before I left to infiltrate Zarkon’s ship.  </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I… I just wanted to say, Keith. The Galra, they took everything from me. My planet, my people, my family. But… over time, I have come to consider the paladins- you- my family. I have… come to understand that perhaps you are the exception. You were not raised by the Galra- it’s not your fault. I’m not sure I’ll ever be… </span>
  </em>
  <span>ok</span>
  <em>
    <span> with it, but Keith- I trust you. I have to. And I hope you can trust me, too, despite how I’ve been acting.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith took a deep breath in, and felt his heart break inside his chest as everything went white.</span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith was exhausted when they finally touched down on the nearest habitable planet, and he dreaded boarding the ATLAS. There wasn’t anything on this particular planet, surprisingly- no buildings, no people, but it was there, at least, and that was something. He was towing Lance behind his Lion, praying to any deity -human or otherwise- he could think of that the younger boy would make it to the ground. They’d made Shiro promise not to say anything until they landed, and the ATLAS and Lions had gone radio silent as they made their descent. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they landed, there were several rebel ships already on the ground- ones who had been closer to the planet when their reality reset and the planet appeared. Krolia, Kolivan, and Acxa were gathered outside of one, and they all looked up as Keith exited the Red Lion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith-” Axca stepped forward and caught Keith as he stumbled onto the ground. “Are you all right?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-” Keith looked up at Krolia and found his eyes filling with tears. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, my son,” Krolia sighed, reaching for Keith and holding him close. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance- he’s hurt- he needs help, fast,” Keith almost whimpered, and Kolivan nodded, making his way to the Black Lion with Acxa. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith stayed huddled close to Krolia for a few moments, but then the Holts were spilling out of the Atlas. Keith pulled away from Krolia and looked around; he was the only paladin who had exited his Lion, and he could see the fear in the Holt families eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pidge is ok,” he called to them, just as Pidge slid slowly out of their Lion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, thank God, thank God!” Colleen cried. Keith managed to smile at her as she mouthed the words at him. Shay and some of the other balmerans had landed nearby, and tumbled out onto the grass, rushing towards the Yellow Lion.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have returned! Oh, you are alright!” Shay cried as Hunk stepped into the field of light blue flowers they had landed in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Veronica had arrived, along with the other MFE pilots, Coran, and Adam. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance!” Veronica yelped, “Fuck, Lance!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith turned to see that Lance was being carried past by Lotor and Shiro, up the ramp and into the ATLAS.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith?” Romelle’s voice was shaking as she exited the Atlas. Keith walked towards her, trying to figure out how to tell her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Romelle, I-” He was standing in front of her now, and he didn’t end up having to say anything. Romelle took one look at his face and collapsed into his chest, sobbing against his armour. Keith buried his head in her hair and let the tears come.    </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Part Three: After ~ Chapter Thirteen: Lance Is No Pirate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ok well canon sort of didn't go this far so I basically get to do whatever I want now. Not that I wasn't before. <br/>Part Three: Featuring Several Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda) references, as well as one from Because of Winn-Dixie (Kate DiCamillo)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Keith, bud, you have to rest. It’s been four days and you’ve only left this room to go work with Lotor for six hours at a time,” Griffin insisted, passing Keith his black jacket and a fresh tee shirt. “You need sleep- real sleep, not two hour cat naps at the end of Lance’s bed.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to be here when he wakes up. It’s my fault-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How the hell is it your fault?” Griffin shook his head, watching as Keith struggled to pull his shirt over his head without disturbing the bandages plastered to his side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He got hurt protecting us! He...” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith, he was protecting literally the entire universe. It’s not your fault,” Griffin insisted, reaching out and pulling Keith's shirt gently over the bandages. “Adam’s kind of losing it, dude, you need to at least show up for dinner tonight and placate your space dads.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith sighed, looking at Lance, who groaned and shifted. “I should have noticed. I’m supposed to be his right hand- I’m supposed to fill in the gaps.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Griffin looked over at the Cuban boy, as well, and shook his head pityingly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shiro and Ember are coming in to see if they can save his leg, but don’t get your hopes up, Keith. It’s pretty fucking infected.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith just nodded, and settled back into his spot on the end of Lance’s bed, mindlessly pushing his soft brown hair off his sweaty forehead. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance was dreaming. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He was in a pirate ship, and he was dangling his legs over the bow. Another pirate walked over to him, balancing on a peg leg. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Maybe we can save it?” He said in Shiro’s voice. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“There’s so much nerve damage…” the parrot on his shoulder responded in Keith’s low tone. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Poor kid, his fever is so high-” whispered Ember the seagull, dropping down on the deck. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m not high!” Lance insisted, and the pirate pushed him off the side of the deck and into the water. Lance inhaled a mouthful of salt water and decided it was better to just stop breathing.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Fucking- Quiznak- shit!” Shiro was hauling Keith out of Ember’s way and pressing the button that would summon Keira, the medic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Move!” She cried as she rushed into the room moments later, checking the oxygen mask Ember had strapped to Lance’s face and rapidly pressing buttons on his monitor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith didn’t realize he was panicking until Shiro grabbed his good hand, pressing against his pulse point with his thumbs while holding tightly to his right shoulder and speaking quietly into his ear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith, I need you to stay calm, ok? He </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to pull through, he’s tough, but you </span>
  <em>
    <span>aren’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to get through this if you don’t start taking care of yourself, and that starts with breathing normally for me, ok?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith sucked in a few harsh breaths and nodded, focusing on counting the ceiling tiles until Keira finally sighed in relief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, he’s breathing by himself again, but I really think it’s time to make a call. We can’t wait for him to wake up- if the infection keeps spreading the way it is right now, he might not ever wake up.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“You seriously can’t save it?” Shiro asked, uncharacteristically gruff. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Not with the technology I have up here- there's so many injured people that need medical support, and I don’t have the infrastructure to suppress this without endangering them. Not fast enough, anyways.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“We should wait one more day,” Ember said, staring down at Lance, who was shaking and sweating, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathing</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Guys?” Hunk poked his head in the door, and spotted Keira. “Is he ok?” He asked, fear colouring his voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Em?” Pidge struggled to poke their head into the room as well. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>Shiro sighed. “He’s going to be ok, guys, but-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“You’re his team,” Keira said pragmatically, “You know him better than anyone. What would he want?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Thats- I don’t know-” Hunk mumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Come in, guys, but quietly,” Keira sighed, and the two paladins tumbled into the room, followed shyly by Veronica, who was holding a clean med-gown. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I came to see if Keith would help me change him- but these guys followed me,” Veronica explained, and Keith rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“We’re trying to decide if we should wait until he wakes up to… perform surgery. To see if he can pull through the infection,” Shiro told them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I- I don’t know what he- you guys honestly know him better than I do,” Veronica gestured helplessly at the paladins. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I can’t- I can’t make that call,” Hunk said stiffly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I have no idea. We never talked about what to do if one of us was losing a limb thanks to some quintessence-draining-poison-sword-blaster-thing,” Pidge said, scowling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance groaned and blanched even paler against the sheets, then shuddered, his whole body seizing and shaking violently. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Take it off,” Keith heard himself say, authoritatively. The others all stared at him. “It’s hurting him! Just take it off!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” Keira asked, looking around the room. The others nodded slowly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, I’ll prepare for surgery now. That means you all have to leave- you too, Keith.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith nodded, and watched as Veronica, Pidge and Shiro all kissed Lance’s forehead before leaving the room. Ember followed Pidge out, speaking low and comforting. Hunk stared at Lance as Keira flitted in and out of the room, setting up lines and gathering tools. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodluck, buddy, can’t wait to see you…” Hunk choked out, pressing a hand into Lance’s shoulder and wiping tears from his eyes. He nodded at Keith and fled the room. Keith walked over to Lance, grabbing his limp hand in both of his own. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re going to be just fine, and it’s not going to hurt anymore- or at least, not after awhile-” Keith told him, remembering the phantom pains that had plagued him for the few days before his prosthetic was attached. “We’ve got your back.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance whined, twisting violently, and Keith leaned forwards, awkwardly hugging the Blacks’ paladin, pressing a light kiss against the crook of his neck and then to his temple. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he promised. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait- Keith,” Keira called, and Keith turned halfway out the door to see her looking at him pityingly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you- how are you with blood?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine…” Keith said slowly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why don’t you stay- help me keep an eye on his vitals and pass me things,” Keira suggested, and Keith blanched, looking at the nasty looking display of tools she had collected. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure,” he replied, unsure that he was making the right decision, but loathe to leave Lance’s side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keira grinned at him sympathetically. “Let’s do this, then.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance was dreaming. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He was swimming through an endless ocean, gasping for air and being chased by sharks, which were snapping instantly at his leg. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You know him better than anyone,” said one of the sharks, grimly. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Lance shook his head, “Who?” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“What?” Asked another shark, this one small and rounder. As Lance watched, it morphed into a little white creature with four long, sharp legs like a spider, and brutal teeth. He realized he wasn’t in the ocean anymore, he was floating through an asteroid belt. To his left was a black hole, blue and grey planets ripping apart at its edges cutting the golden light into weird shapes. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Who do I know better than anyone?” Lance asked, staring around at the quantum abyss. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I came to see if Keith would help me,” said his sister through the mouth of another shark, floating lazily past him towards the abyss. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Wait! Veronica- don’t go in there! You’ll get ripped apart!” Lance called, but she was gone already. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I can’t make that call,” Hunk said, dragging Allura towards the center of the abyss by her long silver hair. Her stomach was leaking blood and her eyes were full of tears.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Guys! Wait!” Lance leapt from asteroid to asteroid, trying to catch up to his friends and stop them from heading further into the abyss. “No! Please! Come back!” Lance stumbled, and watched as Keith leapt past him towards the black hole. Lance reached out to catch him, and crashed gracelessly into the next asteroid. He looked down and noticed he was in the Blacks' cockpit. That was better, only, there was a thin, sharp piece of metal spearing through his calf. It seemed to have missed his shin bone- Lance reached down to break it off so that it wasn’t sticking out of him so much, but he heard a crack before he could get too far with that, and searing pain shot up his shin. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Take it off,” Keith ordered, and Lance looked up at him through his Marmora Mask. Slowly, Keith's face melted and changed. Lance knew he couldn’t take off his mask. Showing Allura who he was would compromise the mission. He pulled his sword from his belt and stood facing Allura in the purple light of the Galra ship. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You have endangered the entire universe by betraying Voltron!” He said.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Allura just stared at him impassively. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You killed me, Lance,” she said, falling backwards through open space. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“After everything we’ve been through together, how could you side against us with Honerva like that?” Lance cried after her. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He was in the collective consciousness now, and Keith was back.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“After everything </span>
  </em>
  <span>we’ve</span>
  <em>
    <span> been through? After everything </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’ve</span>
  <em>
    <span> been through </span>
  </em>
  <span>for</span>
  <em>
    <span> you!” Keith sneered. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Lance stared at him, and Keith lunged, grabbing him by the throat and sliding a thin blade easily between his ribs. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ve suffered unbelievable pain, solitude, and abuse, all to protect you!” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I would take it away, if I could,” Lance croaked, and Keith smirked. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s hurting, take it,” he said, and dropped Lance into the black hole. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Overwhelming loneliness filled him as he watched his team from afar while they got up to their usual antics in the Castle of Lions- aware that none of them really wanted him there. He fought countless Galra at the Marmora base, exhaustion wracking every part of his body, blade growing heavier and heavier in his hand. He noticed Allura watching him with distrust, not entirely sure if he could even trust himself. He separated himself from the group, knowing they don’t have faith in him to fill his role, and eventually returned to watching them from afar. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Lance felt bruises that never healed, blown-out muscles that never stopped being sore, open wounds that never seemed to fully close without the help of Allura’s healing pods. He felt the crushing solitude of two years in the abyss as he fell through it, the pressure ripping at his very bones. He felt the cauterization of the cut Shiro made on his face as they fought, the betrayal. He felt the icy fear of what the Galra would do to Pidge, the white hot pain of the injection given to him by the man with the long braid, the sickening softness of the Galran warlords hands on him. The fear, and the shame. And then suddenly he reached the other side of the abyss and he was on a desert island. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It was nice, the wind was blowing, and Keith was there, pressing his face into Lance’s neck. Lance tried to reach for him, tried to redirect the kiss that Keith aimed at his forehead to his lips, but failed. He fell onto his back, calmly watching the crabs gnawing at the rotting flesh of his leg. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I love you,” he said conversationally to Keith, who was stretched out beside him, dead. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I love you, too, James,” Keith replied, turning to face Lance, blood gushing lazily over the broadsword sticking out of his abdomen and onto the sand. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m Lance!” Lance cried, but Keith was gone and the storm was coming, so he had to go back home now. His mother would be mad if his clothes got wet. He headed back to the house, walking up the stairs to his room and stripping off his sweater and button down shirt. He was glad Allura came for dinner, tired from laughing, full of his mother's cooking, and pleased to see that there were fresh sheets on his bed. He crawled in, and sank into a downy soft darkness. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith was practically asleep when Lance woke up. He had propped himself up against the headboard of the hospital bed with his tablet, but Lance -who was thankfully hooked up to significantly fewer wires than he had been two days ago and was sleeping off his surgery peacefully- had rolled over and pressed his head into Keith's lap. Keith put his tablet away and ran his hand soothingly through the younger man's hair, yawning. The others had been taking shifts with Lance all day so that Keith could get some training in, have a long shower, and spend some time on a call with Krolia and Krolivan discussing what the Blades next move should be, but Keith insisted on staying the night. He didn’t want Lance to wake up alone. He lifted the Cuban boy's head gently, and scooted down the bed so he was almost laying down, propping Lance’s cheek against his ribs and continuing his rhythmic untangling of Lance’s hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith?” Lance mumbled, about half an hour later, and Keith almost jumped out of his skin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m here, bud,” Keith answered, stilling the movement of his hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Lance said, sleepily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, dude.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did I fall asleep in your bed again?” Lance said, then caught sight of the room around him. “Oh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>, how long was I out?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Six days,” Keith answered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Holy fuck.” Lance mumbled, trying to sit up. Keith helped him arrange himself against the headboard and passed him a glass of water. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How are you feeling?” Keith asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good- I-” Lance froze, and blanched as he looked down at his legs under the sheet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You had a pretty major surgery two days ago,” Keith said gently, taking the water from Lance and grabbing his elegant wrist in his good hand, soothingly rubbing circles on his skin with his thumb. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… show me.” Lance insisted, and Keith frowned, but helped him pull the blanket away to reveal what was left of Lance’s leg. There was his knee, and the very top of his shin, and then… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My calf- my foot!” Lance cried, staring in disbelief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Lance,” Keith said, feeling dread wash over him- what if he had made the wrong call? Why did they let </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> make the call anyways? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why- what…” Lance stopped and thought for a moment. “How...?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...” Keith looked guiltily down at the stump, where the scar had finally stopped weeping thick blood into its bandage. “I made the call, Lance. I’m so sorry if it was the wrong one- but it was so infected, and you weren’t waking up and I didn’t want you to lose your knee, too.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. No you made the right choice,” Lance replied weakly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just… couldn’t see you in that much pain any longer,” Keith mumbled, not meeting Lance’s eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m-” Keith looked up to see Lance’s eyes filling, his free hand covering his mouth. Keith flipped the blanket back over his legs, and gathered Lance into his arms, holding him tightly as he buried his face in Keith’s chest, fisting his hands in his grey shirt, crying and crying, and crying, until they both fell asleep. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a few days before Lance felt well enough to join a morning briefing, but the smile on his face as he crutched into the meeting room with Keith and Lotor trailing watchfully behind him was dazzling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance!” Adam was the first to spot Lance walking through the door, and his exclamation called everyone's attention to the Blacks’ paladin as he made his way to his seat. Keith watched from a distance as the crew surrounded him, shaking his hand and offering their sympathy and relief. Lance was joking, engaging with the others a little more sadly than usual, but keeping a positive attitude nonetheless. It had been a strange few days- nobody had really wanted to process Allura’s absence, but it was strongly felt by everyone aboard. Nobody had seen Romelle or Coran since they had landed on Altea, and the paladins seemed- unhinged. Like they were drifting with no purpose, which, Keith supposed, they sort of were. Lance disengaged briefly from the story Kinkade was telling him to look around the room. His eyes found Keith in the far corner, and he furrowed his eyebrows, as if asking Keith for something. Keith tilted his head quizzically, and Lance jutted his chin forward, calling him over. Keith kept his head down to hide his pleased smile as he made his way over and settled a hand on Lance’s shoulder, over the back of his chair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...So we should be on our way back on Earth in just over three weeks,” Shiro explained, “We need to stay here on New Altea and get some repairs done, settle Lotor onto the throne and elect a leader for the Alteans now that…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Allura’s name hung unsaid above the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’ll be ok, though, we can get Lance used to his new leg,” Ember smiled, breaking the tension and placing a heavy looking prosthetic in front of Lance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Slav helped,” she said begrudgingly as Lance admired the sleek design of it. Keith grinned, squeezing Lance’s shoulder before taking his seat. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance didn’t really want to go back to his own room, if he was honest. This was the first night he would have to go to sleep by himself- the first night someone wouldn’t be with him if he woke up from the nightmares. Veronica had kicked Keith out to get some sleep the night before, telling Lance that Reds’ paladin had stayed with him every night for the last week. Lance was shocked, but grateful, and found himself seeking out Keith’s presence even more than usual (if possible). He started down the hall to his room, but found himself walking down the now familiar route to Keiths room, knocking gently on the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come in,” Keith called, and Lance propped open the door. Keith was sitting on his bed with his eyes closed and one headphone in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Lance said, smiling fondly at the older boy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Lance,” Keith said, looking up in surprise, “I thought you would be in bed already- you had a long day!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did but… I don’t know.” Lance shrugged awkwardly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>Keith patted the space beside him on the bed (the inside, Lance noticed, which meant he’d taken Lance’s preference to be close to the wall into account) and Lance wasted no time in crawling up beside him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>after</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Keith.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah it is. Have you cried yet?” Keith asked, part teasing, part serious. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I cried on your chest for like four hours the other day remember?” Lance chuckled, resisting the urge to curl himself around Keith and stay there forever. They weren’t there yet. Pidge, Hunk, Romelle, Allura and even Shiro (sometimes) would all platonically cuddle with Lance as much as he wanted. But Keith had never been like that. Allura… Lance had been trying not to think about her too much, but she haunted every one of his dreams. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, but that was about your leg, and… and what happened with… well. It wasn’t out of relief, I think,” Keith said, grabbing his sketching tablet off the bedside table and starting to draw.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A little of both, I guess… Have you? Cried, I mean.” Lance glanced up to see what Keith was drawing, but Keith shoved his head away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance waited, but Keith didn’t elaborate. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What now?” Lance sighed, and Keith chuckled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck, buddy, I don’t know,” Keith groaned, “Griffin and Rizavi promised to give me a quick run-down on how to fly the MFE’s, and I have a place with the Blades tracking down rebellions and rebuilding the Galra Empire on New Daibazaal, but I don’t know. I guess you’re going to go back to Earth, huh?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know, either. I guess.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t leave me again</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Lance wanted to say, </span>
  <em>
    <span>let me come with you wherever you go</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “Are you going to try to put Lotor back on the throne?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith closed his eyes and nodded, “I’m going to advocate for that, I think. Krolia and Kolivan seem to think it’s a good idea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He seemed… different in the meeting.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s been through some shit,” Keith replied carefully, “I think it’s changed him for the better. He’s less obsessive, and seems to understand that not everything is black and white now; according to Hunk and Pidge, at least. I’m not sure, I trust him, I guess. He stood up for us against Honerva </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> Allura.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So… Lotor’s like, your new half-Galra best friend?” Lance teased and Keith snorted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, exactly, because that’s how quickly </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> make friends. Did I tell you what he said to me when we first got him on the ship? I walked in his room, and he goes ‘you are the smallest Galra I’ve ever seen, but you have lovely eyes’ and then, not even five minutes later, he says ‘you are the smallest Galra I’ve ever seen, and quite possibly the stupidest’.” Keith laughed again, throwing his head back, “Half the time he’s flirting with me, the other half he’s telling me I’m not fit to reproduce and am a disgrace to the Galra species.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn,” Lance huffed, “Your new half-Galra boyfriend, then?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quiznak, absolutely not!” Keith almost choked on the words, and Lance giggled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I’ll probably take a break before I start working again. I think I need some down time,” Keith sighed, changing the subject back to </span>
  <em>
    <span>after</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Down time</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Lance exclaimed, sitting up to look into Keith’s eyes and make sure that he wasn’t joking. Keith laughed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, maybe not down time, exactly, but just… time on solid ground. I haven’t decided.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ll stay in touch, right?” Lance asked, embarrassed by the whine in his voice. He huddled down into Keith's blankets again.    </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course,” Keith replied simply. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… I don’t know what to do,” Lance said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You could teach,” Keith suggested, and Lance twisted to stare at him in disbelief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What would I fucking teach, Keith? I’m not really that great of a pilot- sure, I can shoot, but nobody needs a separate teacher for that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about intergalactic diplomacy?” Keith suggested, “You’re great with people, and you’ve had the opportunity to learn about the customs of countless cultures all over the universe. You’d be good at it. You could </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> it, if you wanted, but I guess you probably want to stay near your family.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance stared at the dark haired boy; what he was saying made sense, but he’d never thought that Keith paid that much attention to Lance when they weren’t specifically spending time together- or even when they were. He’d always assumed Keith was indifferent to him, most of the time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d say ‘anytime’, but you gotta earn it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance grinned, leaning over to see what Keith was drawing. Keith tried to elbow him out of the way but he caught a glimpse of his own face on the tablet before dodging out of the way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve been looking at your stupid face a lot!” Keith grumbled, flushing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let- me- see!” Lance grunted, trying to wrestle the tablet out of Keith’s hands. Finally he gave up trying to overpower the other boy and simply scooted under Keith's metal arm. He found himself in an almost instant headlock, but at least he could see the screen. The drawing was… well. Lance had never really had the opportunity to look at himself through someone else's eyes, and through Keith’s, he was smiling mischievously, hair curling messily around his face, freckles way more prominent than he thought they were, eyes brighter. It was a face he recognized from the mirror, just a little bit </span>
  <em>
    <span>more</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dude,” he breathed, and Keith snorted, closing the drawing and putting it on the bedside table. Lance decided he wasn’t moving unless Keith made him, and left his head propped against Keith's stomach, feeling his breath rise and fall under the firm lines of his abs. He hummed appreciatively as Keith tentatively threaded his fingers through his hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I- can I stay?” Lance asked, mumbling into Keith’s shirt as he fought to stay awake. Keith didn’t say anything, just hauled Lance by the armpits until his head was resting in the crook of Keith’s neck and yanked the blankets over both of them. Lance groaned sleepily, snuggling his face into the soft skin in the crook of Keith’s neck and dropping his hand onto his stomach (not because he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying</span>
  </em>
  <span> to feel the frankly unbelievable contours of Keiths abs- just because… it was comfortable. Sue him). He was almost asleep, breathing even and slow, the warmth and smell of Keith enveloping him, when Keith wrapped his arms around him properly, one tucked up against the back of Lance’s head and the other wrapping around his waist and settling on his spine. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry,” Keith mumbled into Lance’s hair, but Lance was too tired to ask him what for.     </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Everyone Wants Keith?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“So, that’s everything, for now at least,” Keith said, putting the stack of papers back into the file. Lotor stared at him for a moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You really are Galra, aren’t you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ve been over this,” Keith rolled his eyes. Despite his best efforts, he liked Lotor. He was a jerk, sure, but he had a decent sense of humour and an excellent sense of duty to his people. Lotor grinned down at him, reaching for Keith’s face with his large hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t touch me.” Keith dodged out of the way, and Lotor dropped his hands to his sides. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have unusually long canines for a human.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m. Aware.” Keith growled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry to have offended you,” Lotor said, and Keith rolled his eyes. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know you these last few days.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll enjoy knowing that the Galra have a stable leader,” Keith replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to offer you a place of employment, if you so desire,” Lotor said, folding his hands on the table in front of him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh?” Keith raised an eyebrow, narrowing his gaze at the prince. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d like you to be one of my advisors, of a sort. I like your ideas for how to redeem the Galra Empire in the eyes of the universe, and I would like to have a little extra protection, as well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith sat back down in his seat, folding his hands in front of him in a mirror of Lotors. “So you want me to what, be a diplomatic body-guard?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Essentially,” Lotor replied, a small smile on his face. “As well as helping with segments of my army, acting as an embassy to the Blade of Marmora and Earth, if you want.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That sounds like a job for many people,” Keith replied, slowly, searching Lotor’s face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, we’d get you all the people you needed to make sure everything runs smoothly, you’d just… oversee, on my behalf.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I see.” Keith bit his lip in thought, wondering if this would really be something he would be good at. It seemed like a job more suited to Lance, who was good with people, good at being charming and persuasive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I may speak so boldly, Commander Kogane-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith,” Keith sighed, rolling his eyes. “You’re the Emperor, speak as boldly as you’d like.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Technically, I’m nothing right now since I’ve been dead for four years.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Technically, you weren’t dead,” Keith argued, and Lotor grinned dangerously at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I may be so bold, Keith,” Lotor leaned forward, covering Keith's hands with one of his own. “I enjoy your company. I find you incredibly attractive, and even if you’re not interested, I’d like to keep you around regardless, because I think we could make a very good team.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-” Keith startled, staring up at Lotor in surprised confusion. He resisted the urge to flat-out refuse, to pull his hands away and tell Lotor he could never, ever be what the prince wanted him to be, and instead, nodded calmly. “May I have some time to think about it?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Take all the time you need,” Lotor replied, leaning forwards and kissing Keith's cheek lightly. Keith tried hard not to recoil.   </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They put Lance under when attaching his prosthetic. Something to do with hooking up electrodes to his somatic nervous system- or maybe his kinesthetic system? Was it both? Keith hadn’t been paying much attention, but he decided to assume all the nervous systems. Ember and Keira kicked him out for this procedure, but Keith didn’t mind too much. Lance had been shockingly cheerful lately, and it had put the entire crew -including Keith- in a good mood. He headed to the kitchen and waited with Hunk while he made milkshakes for everyone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith,” Ember’s voice sounded from the door, “Oh, you’re both here! Excellent! Well, Lance should be waking up any minute, but we need to wait for the anesthesia to wear off before we start calibrating his prosthetic so you’re welcome to go check on him if you want.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, Ember, I’ll wait until you’re all done- I’m supposed to video call with Shay soon anyways,” Hunk said, offering Ember a milkshake. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll go check on him- so he’s not alone when he wakes up,” Keith said, ignoring the knowing smiles from Ember and Hunk as he headed to the med bay. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keira was leaving as he arrived, and gave him a cheerful grin and a salute. Keith nodded, and made his way to the bed, sitting down beside Lance in his usual spot at the end of the bed and pulling out his tablet. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance was dreaming. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He was on a beach, and there was a beautiful sunset in the distance that was only a little bit marred by the images of Hunk, Pidge, Allura and Romelle having a splashing contest between him and it. He looked to his left and saw Shiro sitting on a blanket with Adam and Keith, lazily throwing grapes into Adam's mouth and cackling when his fiance missed. Keith was grinning, and he looked so perfect in the sweet yellow light spilling across the water that Lance almost forgot to breathe. It was lovely, sitting there on Blacks nose, desert sand around them, Keith's arm tucked over his shoulder. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re going to find someone incredible, and they’re going to love you for the stupid, annoying Earth version of you,” Keith told him. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I know,” Lance replied. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“But they’re never going to love you when they find out what you did,” Keith said, Allura’s voice spilling from his lips. Lance gasped, scrambling backwards, away from the corpse lying on the sand in front of him, and straight into his hospital bed. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m here, bud,” Keith said, looking up from his tablet. He was sitting at the end of the bed, looking like he’d never belonged anywhere else. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith, dude. I can feel my toes.” Lance whispered, and Keith stared at him with a furrowed brow. Lance felt something wet on his cheek, and realized he was crying. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith headed to the training room as soon as Keira arrived to work on getting Lance back on his feet. He pulled down some weights, adjusted the gravity for an extra challenge,  and worked out until he could hardly lift his head. Dinner was almost ready, and the others were excitedly waiting for Lance to come out of the operation room. Keith didn’t feel like celebrating. He was walking to the kitchen to grab a plate to take to his room, when he noticed Romelle slowly walking away from Allura’s room, wiping her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Romelle? You ok?” Keith asked, carefully. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Romelle lifted her head, face stained with tears and grief. “I’ll be fine,” she snapped, then gasped, “Oh, Keith- I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, it’s ok,” Keith said, rubbing the back of his neck, “Look, I’m not…” He remembered his conversation with Hunk a year ago and almost laughed. “I’m not great at like, advice, or feelings or whatever, but if you ever want to talk…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, Keith,” Romelle nodded. “I just… I can’t believe she’s gone.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” Keith sighed. “I’m- Romelle, fuck.” He stopped leaning against the wall and pressing his face into his hands. “I’m so sorry. We promised we’d bring her back- </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> promised I’d bring them all back, and I lost Allura, and Lance’s leg and- Fuck. I’m so sorry.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not your fault, Keith.” Romelle whispered, pulling Keith’s hands away from his eyes and around her shoulder, tugging him close. “It’s not your fault.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stood, crying in the corridor for a long time, holding onto each other like they were drowning. Keith felt like he’d been drowning all week. Maybe all year. Finally Romelle peeled herself away, and Keith laughed at their matching tear-stained faces. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Enough.” Romelle said, smiling sadly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Enough,” Keith agreed. “I’m going to get some food, want to come hang out in the kitchen? I’m sure Hunk would love the company.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure. Thank you, Keith.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith just smiled at her fondly, and led the way to the kitchen. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keira barely gave Lance a second look before walking over to check his vitals and shoo Keith out of the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How are you feeling, Lance?” She asked, ignoring his puffy eyes, and Lance tried desperately to slow his breathing. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Be normal</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great! It feels great!” Lance told her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you try wiggling your toes for me?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took a lot more concentration than he was used to using in order to just wiggle his toes around, but Lance managed. Keira grinned ecstatically. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok! Great! Your nervous system has accepted the prosthetic, now we just need to make sure that everything is set up so you don’t end up with sensory overload or difficulty with motor control! Shiro is going to come in and help with that, but if you want to wait to start working on movement, we absolutely can. Whenever you’re ready.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance thought about Shiro, learning how to use his new arm back on Earth, and the tremendous grin he had when he finally got to pick up a weight with both hands, or write on his tablet and drink coffee simultaneously. He thought of Keith, going through the same experience just a few weeks before, his relief when the phantom pain in his forearm finally stopped. It had only been a few days, but Lance couldn’t wait to walk again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will I need to wear a shoe?” He asked, then felt stupid. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It depends- we can make it as sensitive as you want, so the sensory ‘nerves’ could be just as intense as your actual foot and leg were, or we can make it more similar to Shiro’s prosthetic in that it doesn’t really have any free nerve endings -those are the main form of pain receptors- or we can make it feel a bit like you’re already wearing a boot. Again, up to you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance looked down at his mechanical foot. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can we start with a normal...uh...sense recep- reception?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Normal sensory input from the limb?” Keira asked gently. “Of course, Lance.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She pulled out her tablet and started playing with the levels of sensation that Lance was receiving from his leg. Shiro and Ember arrived a few minutes later, Shiro guiding Lance through some motion and helping him articulate what he was feeling. Eventually, they had him standing, and Lance had to concentrate hard on just balancing for a few moments. Soon he had that part figured out, and was walking back and forth across the room, holding onto Shiro’s hands for support. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How did you learn to use that thing so fast?” Lance gasped, once walking felt just natural enough for him to do it and talk at the same time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I already had lots of practice,” Shiro grinned, “But you’re doing great! I didn’t have to reinforce neural pathways for </span>
  <em>
    <span>walking</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah but you can play the </span>
  <em>
    <span>piano</span>
  </em>
  <span> with that thing!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ll be able to do everything you could before, too, Lance,” Ember assured him, “Oh, it’ll feel a little different, and if you were, say, a ballet dancer, you would have lost some of the ‘muscle memory’ in your calf and toes, but you’re not trying to articulate those joints with the same dexterity of a ballerina, so I’d say you’ll be back to full mobility in… a week.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?” Lance gasped, staring down at his mechanical ankle. He refrained from mentioning that he actually had been a dancer before being accepted into the Garrison.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not! Sparring will help- if you feel up for it. Go with someone you trust- not Keith. You’re too competitive with him. You’ll need to take it easy at first.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance looked up from his toes to Shiro, who was merely spotting him now, in case he lost his balance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shiro?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, Lance. I’d be happy to kick your ass in the training room for a couple weeks,” Shiro said, and Ember yelped indignantly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No competition!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No promises,” Shiro and Lance chorused. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It felt unbelievably good to </span>
  <em>
    <span>walk</span>
  </em>
  <span> to the lounge, to wear his own pants instead of the pair of Keith’s cut-off sweatpants he’d been in for over a week. It felt good to be able to take a running leap at Hunk, who caught him easily with a yell of celebration, and swung him around like a heroine in a romantic comedy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance grabbed a plate from the kitchen on his way, and sat on his favourite couch, eating cheerfully, but he didn’t miss the puffiness around Romelle’s eyes, and how she was avoiding eye-contact with him. He noticed Keith’s absence, noticed the way that Acxa and his sister couldn’t seem to look at him and his mechanical limb. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After an hour or so of visiting, Shiro yawned tremendously, almost knocking Adam’s glasses off as he stretched, “I should eat something and go to bed. I’m beat.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I have an idea of what you’ll be-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Not another word, Pidge,” Shiro warned, wrapping his arm around Adam’s waist and pressing a kiss to his temple. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Gross, Pidge!” Rizavi giggled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam just grinned and waved as Shiro escorted him out of the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodnight, space dads!” Hunk yelled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodnight, hellions!” Adam called back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t enable them, Adam.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance stayed for another half hour, but finally decided that he needed to talk to Romelle. Needed to apologize, to explain. Needed someone- </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone</span>
  </em>
  <span>- to tell him that what he had done was ok in a way that actually convinced him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance knocked gently on the door to Romelle’s room, and her soft voice called for him to enter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey Romelle,” he said quietly, stepping into the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance,” Romelle answered, looking up from her desk. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just… I thought we should talk.” Lance walked over to Romelle and stood awkwardly beside her desk. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You-” Romelle stood up, her voice cracking. “I want to be so furious with you, Lance. I kind of want to put you in the airlock and send you out into deep space and forget either of you ever existed.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance hung his head, unable to meet her eyes. “I wouldn't blame you. I’ve thought about it, actually.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You couldn’t reason with her? You couldn’t have tried harder?” Romelle snapped, glaring at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry Romelle. I would have- I wish I did, but we didn’t have time. We were… we had to protect the ATLAS and each other and I just… there didn’t seem like there was another option.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You- you- </span>
  <em>
    <span>promised</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Romelle slammed her fist down on the desk, eyes filling with fury and salt-water. “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>both</span>
  </em>
  <span> did! You </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> Keith!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not Keith’s fault. He tried to convince her. Please, this is my fault. Don’t blame Keith- he would have sacrificed himself in a moment if he thought it would mean we could all make it home.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Romelle cried, standing up. “You should have </span>
  <em>
    <span>died</span>
  </em>
  <span>! You should have died rather than let her go!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance took a few steps back, feeling as though she had punched him in the gut. It was a sentiment he had often thought himself, but to hear it vocalized was jarring. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Quizak- Lance- I’m so sorry.” Romelle’s eyes widened and she reached for Lance’s hands, pulling him back towards her, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to- I didn’t mean it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s ok, Romelle. You’re right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” Romelle shouted, and Lance jumped. “I’m wrong! I’m so wrong! You saved the team- you saved the universe! I just… I just miss her. As horrible as she was being towards the end I...” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me, too.” Lance whispered, pulling Romelle into a tight hug. “Fuck, me too.”   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance,” Romelle said after a few minutes, pulling her tearstained face away from Lance’s chest. “What are we going to tell the others?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Lance asked, tucked a stray piece of hair behind Romelles ear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean… obviously the Alteans aboard know that she’s gone, but they don’t know why or how, and neither does the rest of the universe.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think…” Lance sighed, staring down at Romelles Altean marks. “I think we should erect a statue, name the capital city after her, and have a beautiful service to honour her. I think we should avoid mentioning what actually happened- for the time being at least.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Romelle gasped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need to keep the coalition intact if we want to see Lotor settled peacefully on the throne,” Lance answered grimly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Romelle sighed. “I suppose you’re right. As much as I don’t like the idea of lying… Perhaps we just don’t say too much yet. Explain when the wounds are less… fresh.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance nodded, tugging Romelle back into the hug for a moment before letting go. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We can discuss it more with everyone later. I should… head to bed, I guess.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I should try to get some sleep,” Romelle murmured, staring at her neatly made bed. There was a small dent in the blankets, and Lance suspected she hadn’t really been sleeping much- not enough to warrant getting under the covers anyways. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask, Ro,” Lance told her as he made his way to the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, Lance.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh- Ro?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you seen Keith? He was there when I woke up but I haven’t seen him since.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, sorry. You could try the training room, or the Red Lion’s hangar,” Romelle told him sleepily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, goodnight, Romelle.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Night, Lance.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith watched Lance enter the hangar from the cockpit of the Red Lion. The Blacks’ paladin made his way across the room and up to the cockpit slowly, running his hand gently over Reds’ metal flank. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey.” He crawled carefully into the cockpit, ever graceful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Keith said, trying to hide his delighted smile at the sight of Lance’s leg- intact and responding to him effortlessly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come here often?” Lance joked, but there was a somber edge to his voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Depends who’s asking,” Keith replied, giving Lance a flirty little up-down just to see him blush. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You wouldn’t like him. He’s stupid, and annoying, and from Earth,” Lance sighed, stepping in front of Keith and leaning against the control panel. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sounds like my type, actually,” Keith said before he could think, then hid his face in his hands. Lance cackled, tossing his head back and grinning down at Keith. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How are you feeling?” Keith asked once he’d recovered some semblance of dignity.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good. Better.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You look good,” Keith blurted, then groaned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow, Keith, you’re being so nice to me today!” Lance laughed, and Keith shook his head, keeping his eyes closed so he didn’t have to look at Lance’s teasing expression. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, don’t get used to it, Mullet,” Keith replied, grinning up at Lance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Lance gasped, reaching around to the back of his head and feeling the length of his hair. “Quiznaking- I hate you so much right now!” He spluttered, twisting his fingers through the long tendrils. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You want to </span>
  <em>
    <span>be</span>
  </em>
  <span> me,” Keith replied, smirking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck off.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith sighed, looking away. He hadn’t wanted to tell Lance so soon after the procedure, but he might as well. “I am actually. In two days.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Lance’s voice was small, almost scared. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to Daibazaal with Lotor. To oversee the Kral Zera.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith glanced back at Lance, who was staring at his shoes. “Oh.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry- I would stay if I could but I need to be there. The universe needs to see that he is supported by people they trust and that's us,” Keith said softly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re coming back, though, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It depends on whether he wins or not.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He will,” Lance said confidently. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I hope so,” Keith grimaced. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So if he does, what will you do?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be on a mission for at least a month with the Blade. There’s rumours of rebel forces banding on Feyiv.” Keith answered slowly. Lance reached forward and grabbed his non-mechanical forearm with one slender hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And if he doesn’t?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have no idea,” Keith barked out a laugh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance made a strange noise, and Keith looked up. The cuban boy was leaning his weight partially on Keith’s forearm, his head hanging forwards, shoulders shaking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance?” Keith asked, and Lance lifted his head. There were tears streaming down his face, but he was smiling waveringly.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quiznak- Lance, shit, dude, are you ok? I’m sorry if I-” Keith was stammering, not sure what to do, so he opted for placing his free hand against Lance’s cheek for a moment, brushing tears away with his thumb. It should have been uncomfortably intimate, but the gesture came so naturally to Keith that he almost didn’t realize what he was doing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No- it’s ok, I’m sorry.” Lance laughed weakly. “I can’t seem to stop crying.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, standing up to draw the shaking Lance into his arms, wishing he knew what to say. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith left two days later- days that were filled with physiotherapy and planning buildings with Coran and Romelle and the other Alteans, planning election procedures, erecting canvas tents for the other Alteans. Shiro and Adam were eager to get home, but the crew was somewhat divided. Griffin was trying to bully Romelle into letting him stay on Altea, as was Rizavi. Leifsdottir, Veronica and Iverson were itching to go back to Earth, as were Hunk and Shay, but the Holts were divided between going to Daibazaal and heading home (they wanted to make a pit stop on Reiphod to work on some project Lance only understood a fraction of, as well, but Shiro had said no). Lance wanted to go home, too, but he was determined to see a leader elected for Altea. He’d sent some messages to his family, but had begged off video calls, claiming to be too busy. A month went by, Lotor claimed the Galra throne, a more permanent city structure was built in Alluraus- the capital of Altea. Lance stopped crying three times a day and started sleeping at night (sort of). Shiro finally sorted out a ragtag crew to return the ATLAS to Earth (including Griffin and Rizavi, who had been ordered home by their families, and Veronica, who was eager to introduce her prickly Galran girlfriend to the rest of the McClains before Acxa had to return to the Blades); the journey would only take them two weeks with the improvements Slav, Pidge, Hunk and Sam had worked out. Hunk and Shay left for the Balmera for a few weeks before they returned to Earth with Shay's brother, grandmother and father in tow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Listen, Lance, you’re going to get through this, I promise,” Hunk said to him before he left, “I love you, buddy, and I’m always only a call away, ok?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Love you too, bud,” Lance had grinned, and been wrapped in a semi-uncomfortable hug from both Hunk and Shay. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And when you get back to Earth,” Shay smiled, “we will have our restaurant opened and ready to receive you as a patron of high honour!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, Shay,” Lance said brightly, “I can’t wait to see it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next day, the Holts separated into their own ships and split off, Matt and Ember to Daibazaal, Pidge to Senfama to start helping the Olkari rebuild their civilization, and Colleen to Reiphod. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Later, Lancer,” Pidge grinned, giving Lance a high-five and then a tight hug. “Stay in touch.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will do, Pigeon. Watch yourself out there,” Lance mumbled into their shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alone on Altea with, well, the Alteans, Lance started to feel even more unmoored. He heard from Keith almost daily- he was on Feyiv, quashing rebellions with Acxa, Ezor and Zethrid at his side. It wasn’t enough. Romelle and Coran were focused on the empty seat of leadership in Altea, the other Alteans were reconnecting with their culture, and although they claimed that Lance was part of their odd little found family, he couldn’t help but feel like an outsider. They had built a beautiful -albeit fairly small- house of commons, and were helping erect a small city for the residing Alteans around it. Lance had his own room, which was much bigger than the one on the ATLAS, but somehow even less like home. The election (the Alteans had decided to do away with the monarchical system and adopt an electoral system) took place about a month after the ATLAS crew departed, and Coran won the title of Prime Minister almost unanimously. In the months following, Lance felt even more alone. Coran and Romelle were still terribly busy with politics, and his friends were scattered to the winds. He saw Pidge a few times, but they were usually only around for a day or two, and merely lectured him on ‘having a project’ and ‘taking his mind off everything’. He video called with Hunk, but he always seemed distracted by Shay or menu planning for the next diplomatic meeting he was catering. Lance saw Keith, too. Just once, a week after the Altean election, when Lotor came to discuss trade deals with Coran. Keith was between missions, and told Lance that Lotor had bullied him into flying him over for the dinner and day of meetings. Lance waited for him in the dining room, strangely nervous to see his friend. Something curled unpleasantly in his gut when he saw Keith walk into the room, Lotor’s hand resting on his shoulder possessively. His body was curled over Keith the whole day, whenever they were in proximity, as though he was protecting him- or claiming him. Lance resisted the urge to stick his tongue out childishly at the Galran Emperor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were both invited to sit in on the meetings, and did so, but Lance wished they hadn’t. He wanted to </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span> Keith, not just watch him nod, narrow his eyes, and stifle yawns from across the room. He spent an hour the evening before Lotor and Keith returned to Daibazaal with his friend, sitting in tired silence in Lance's room to watch a movie. Before he left, Keith fleetingly grabbed Lance into a one-armed hug. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve got your back, you know that, right?”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok,” Lance murmured, and Keith smiled at him sadly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be on a mission for awhile, but you know you can call me anytime,” Keith insisted, and allowed himself to be shepherded onto his ship by Lotor’s domineering hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance woke up to nightmares frequently, still, and usually he reached for his com to message one of the other paladins; Keith was his most frequent choice, and even though the other boy was usually the busiest of all of them, he always made time to talk to Lance. They’d even come up with a little code for when Lance was feeling panicky: he would message Keith ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>when I say vol, you say:</span>
  </em>
  <span>’ and every time he reached out, Keith responded with ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Voltron</span>
  </em>
  <span>’. Sometimes, though, even their little code wasn’t enough. One night, Lance woke up -as usual- in a pool of his own sweat, sobbing and thrashing, and found himself in the bathroom, staring at his undereye bags and unable to breath. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the fuck,” Lance gasped, “Why- how the fuck am I supposed to- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span> this!” Lance slammed his hand against the wall, and the tile bit his knuckles and scraped the flesh away. Sure, it hurt, but it felt better than crying pathetically alone in his bed waiting for Keith to respond. Lance lifted his hand carefully, examining the damage, and, on impulse, dragged his nails across the tops of his cheekbones, right under the bruised shadows of his tired eyes. After that night, he started scratching at any protruding bone he could reach almost impulsively, subconsciously trying to peel away his skin until his cheekbones, collar bones, and knuckles were constantly scabbed and bloodied. Coran tried to talk to him, but he was busy with his new responsibilities as Prime Minister of Altea. Romelle had spared a few concerned glances, but she was busy too, and Lance kept to himself these days, working construction most of the time to keep himself busy. The manual labour was good for him, it kept his mind off things. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before he knew it, six months had passed, and he was finally heading home to Cuba. Lance was expecting to be overjoyed at seeing Veredero beach again, expecting the panic attacks and the nightmares and the urge to peel the skin from his face and hands to disappear in the warmth of the sun and the salt of the ocean. For the first few days, it worked; Lance felt better, he slept through the night, he didn’t scratch, but after three days his mother pointed out that Lance hadn’t laughed since he’d arrived. And then his father told him he’d barely even smiled.  Lance was relieved, at first, that he’d stopped feeling so sad, and lost, and afraid. But then he was excruciatingly bored- life was grey and meaningless when you couldn’t seem to feel anything at all, and even flying didn’t seem to hold any appeal for him. He could feel Black’s concern, but couldn’t bring himself to spend all that much time with the Lion- memories of the Castle and explosions and fear and struggle and death and </span>
  <em>
    <span>Allura</span>
  </em>
  <span> overwhelming him when he got too near the creature. Lance got out of bed in the mornings to help with the cows on autopilot, he didn’t stare at the sunrise in awe like he once had, he didn’t join in when his parents and their dinner guests moved into the yard to sit around the campfire. His parents begged him to see a therapist, but it wasn’t until almost three months after his arrival home that he actually went. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Acxa and Veronica had come to visit, but Lance couldn’t seem to find the energy to get up from where he was sitting on the porch swing, swaying slowly back and forth, to get up and greet them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“McClain!” Acxa snapped, stomping around the corner of the house. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance jumped, looking up at the Galra woman blankly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Get up. You’re coming with me,” Acxa ordered, grabbing his arm and hauling him to his feet. “You realize you haven’t spoken to anyone except Hunk in the last four months? Keith is going crazy worrying about you, and every time he talks to Shiro the first thing they ask each other is if they’ve heard from you. It’s pathetic.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> call,” Lance grumbled, trying to pull his arm away, but Acxa had him locked in a death grip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’ve tried, asshole. They said you haven’t been picking up.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shoved him in the pick-up truck and Veronica drove them into town. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance’s therapist was a tall, thin woman with thick, curly hair that waved around her face when she spoke, animated hands, and intense dark eyes. Lance liked her right away- she didn’t treat him like he was fragile. It took work, and there were days when Lance thought he was never going to feel ok again, but by the time the year anniversary of the end of the war drew close, Lance was feeling enough like himself again that he gladly climbed into Blacks’ cockpit and set a course for Altea. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Cheers to Allura and Keith in Button-Downs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Short guy sorry everyone. Just didn't want to make the last one impossibly long.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Keith was oddly nervous to see the other paladins after a year of being away. He’d been working hard with the Blades, establishing bases all over the universe from which to delegate rehabilitation and aid, and spending a lot of time in Empire sympathizer camps, dismantling Zarkon’s supporters networks and imprisoning as many rebels as he could. His hair had grown long, his face was permanently set in a grim line, and he was exhausted; the four days of vacation time in Altea for the one year anniversary of the end of the war was a welcome break, and Keith had been looking forward to it for months. He had come directly from the inauguration of the Galra Empire into the Galactic coalition, and was still wearing the dress pants and black button-down shirt he’d worn for the ceremony, but had lost the tie and jacket in his small office in the Blades’ headquarters on Daibazaal before leaving.  He landed the Red Lion gracefully on the landing strip outside the Altean House of Commons, delighted to see that Shiro and Adams MFE shuttle and the other three Lions were already there. It was warm on Altea, and he regretted not changing into a t-shirt, but before he could slide back into Red’s cockpit and change, he heard a voice shouting behind him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith groaned, opting to simply loosen the top few buttons of his shirt so his collar wasn’t choking him as he jogged up the path. Romelle was flying down the steps from the patio garden, blond hair streaming behind her and Pidge hot on her tail, stumbling over their own short legs. In seconds, Keith had an armful of vanilla scented Altean and tiny, hollering genius. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey!” Keith laughed, setting his friends gently on their feet once they’d had a proper hug. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith!” Shiro grinned, trotting down the steps to meet them as Romelle and Pidge led the way up, “perfect timing, Hunk’s just got appetizers set out!” He wrapped his good arm around Keith’s shoulders and dragged him up the stairs, brushing off his adopted brother's congratulations on his promotion to Admiral despite Keith’s best efforts to force him to admit it was a pretty big deal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, kid!” Adam called as they rounded the corner and spotted Hunk setting food on the table with the help of Lance, who was smiling gingerly- as though his face might crack. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adam! Hi!” Keith waved, giving Adam a brief hug before being snatched up and off his feet by Hunk. Keith allowed the other man to crush his ribs for a few moments before grunting </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hunk, you’re squishing me!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hunk laughed, and set Keith back down on his feet, tugging the short ponytail he’d pulled his hair into on the journey from Daibazaal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith had seen the other paladins fairly regularly over the last year- despite their busy schedules and flying all over the universe. Hunk had been around often enough, attending many of the same diplomatic meetings that Keith did, and always cooking something unquestionably delectable. Shiro accompanied him quite frequently, and he and Keith video-called regularly when they weren’t in proximity. Pidge also called often, and Keith saw Matt almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>more</span>
  </em>
  <span> than he wanted to because of the Blades partnership with the Rebels. But -despite his being Keith's closest friend- he hadn’t seen Lance in over nine months. Keith studied the other boy's face as he stepped towards him. His hair was getting ridiculously long, and his cheekbones were sharp and scraped looking, but his eyes had a hint of their old, humorous light, and Keith felt a wave of warmth was through him as he looked at the Blacks’ paladin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith,” Lance said, eyes flickering over Keith’s exposed throat nervously; there was a slight hesitation in his voice, and the word sounded more like a question than a greeting. “You made it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m here, bud.” Keith smiled, opening his arms, and then his entire sensory system was filled with Lance. The lavendersandalwooddirt smell of him, the warmth of his chest against Keith's chest, the tight band of his arms around Keith's waist and back, the silky softness of his head on Keith’s cheek. The hug was over far too soon, but there was some sort of Altean wine being poured, and Coran had appeared, boisterously throwing his arms around Keith and Lance and nearly knocking them into the delicious looking pile of food Hunk had prepared. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean seriously, Earth is such an incredible cultural hub to be in these days,” Hunk said halfway through the meal, swirling the wine around in his glass, and Pidge could see the diplomat, suddenly, in his mannerisms; the openness of his posture, the calm smile in his eyes, the way he was constantly, unconsciously checking to make sure their plates and glasses remained full. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>  “It’s true,” Pidge nodded, once they’d finished chewing. “It’s a hotspot for alien technological collaboration, and now that Ember has perfected her teladov technology with Coran’s help and my dad's notes, it’ll become a major center for transportation and communication as well!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That wormhole network is making travel on the ATLAS so much easier,” Shiro smiled, and Pidge grinned back, catching a glimpse of a thin gold band around the future Admirals ring finger. “So many sectors have become accessible for the first time, and the supplies we used to need to make those journeys have been cut down significantly.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s been great for the Blades, too,” Keith nodded, “Having the ability to travel from base to base in a short amount of time has made us a far more... cohesive unit against Zarkon’s supporters.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And Hunk’s restaurant empire is spreading like crazy since he’s had easy access to all these new ingredients!” Coran added. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s true!” Hunk said, pausing with his fork halfway to his mouth. “Catering for diplomats is giving us some seriously good publicity, too. People are so much easier to reason with when they’re full.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How are things on Daibazaal?” Lance asked, quietly, and Pidge jumped. He’d been uncharacteristically solemn the whole day- smiling, but speaking little and laughing like he’d forgotten how. Pidge was glad to see that Keith’s appearance had at least prompted some normal Lance behaviour as the Cuban boy stared hungrily at the Reds’ paladins throat under his dress shirt, following Keith around like a lost puppy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, we’ve elected Kolivan as representative to the coalition, and everyone seems pretty pleased with that- especially Pyrs.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who’s Pyrs again?” Hunk groaned, “Do we know them?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith laughed, “I don’t think you guys have met him- he’s Kolivans mate.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They really call it that?” Pidge said wonderingly, considering the political semantics of the term and how it might affect the nature of the kinds of inter-species relationships they were seeing popping up all over the universe. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well it doesn’t translate super well,” Keith laughed. “The implications aren’t the same as English.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Obviously.” Pidge nodded, barely hearing Keith’s reply. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Number Five, come back to us!” Coran teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge shook their head, storing that train of pondering away for later and focusing their attention back on their friends. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyways, Krolia is the in-term leader of the Blades right now, but she’s hoping to retire soon, too. She… well she’s found someone she might want to settle down with, as well,” Keith grinned. “I’m not supposed to say anything but-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who?” Hunk demanded, ever the fiend for gossip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith chuckled softly, “Remember Tavo? He was one of the Alteans on board the ATLAS- he had long black dreads, silver marks?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” the others all gasped, staring at Keith in delighted surprise. Pidge was giggling, trying to imagine the stern Krolia falling for goofy, affectionate Tavo. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How did I not know this?” Coran demanded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith shrugged. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was silence for a moment as the light settled, Altea’s sun setting and turning the landscape to gold. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We haven’t… talked about what to do about, well, Allura.” Hunk shifted uncomfortably, not meeting the others eyes. A lead weight settled in Pidges gut, and they looked out over the fields of juniberry flowers to avoid the falling faces of their odd little family. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The general consensus in the universe at large is that it was a tragic accident,” Pidge supplied. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I believe that we must release the full story eventually,” Coran said sadly. “Sooner, rather than later.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shiro nodded. “She can’t be villainized, though. We need to word the address carefully, to ensure that it remains a tragic accident in the eyes of the public.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was tragic!” Lance exploded, looking around fiercely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It wasn’t an accident, though,” Pidge said in a low voice, and Lance flinched. Pidge realized that their tone may have sounded accusatory, and that Lance probably thought that it had been directed at him. “I mean what she did, Lance. Everything else… that was just collateral.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The people will want to martyr her. There’s already talk of naming this day Allura’s Day,” Coran said slowly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I doubt we can prevent that without villainizing her. People will see things as they want to. All we can do is publish the truth,” Keith replied, a note of bitterness in his voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A beat of silence as the paladins and Coran all stared down at their now empty plates.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To Allura,” Pidge raised their glass, irony bleeding into their tone as they stood to clink their glasses to the others, breaking the heavy stillness.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To Allura,” the group echoed, and it felt wrong. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know what?” Lance snapped, before anyone could drink, “Fuck this. To </span>
  <em>
    <span>Allura</span>
  </em>
  <span>! To the Allura that woke up to the middle of a 10,000 year war and the genocide of her people, and didn’t stop for a moment before she was already trying to help those that were left. To the Allura that took a group of misfit kids- teenagers- young adults- whatever- from a tiny fringe planet that nobody had ever heard of and turned us into one of the strongest teams of soldiers the world has ever seen. Here’s to the Allura who never lost faith in us, even when we lost. To the Allura that refused to stop fighting, and taught us to do the same- she almost single handedly solidified our victory against Zarkon with compassion, innovation, and determination like nobody I’ve ever met, and I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> she turned on us. I know she wasn’t the same woman who brought us together as Voltron for the first time the last time we were together as Voltron, but fuck, I miss her. I miss her, and she was -for the most part- a great woman, and a great friend.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pidge felt their eyes welling up, and they smiled, filled with an emotion they couldn’t quite name. They thought it was like a book they had read a long time ago, about a girl and a dog named after a grocery store, and a candy that tasted sweet and sad at the same time. A Littmus Lozenge, they remembered. Melancholy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To Allura,” they said, sincerely, this time.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “And to each of you,” Shiro added, “To the amazing things you have accomplished, and the amazing people you have become and everything you’ve overcome.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They clinked their glasses together as the sun finally collapsed beyond the magenta and gold fields. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Part Four: Guardian ~ Chapter 16: How to Find Your Red Paladin</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Part Four: Featuring a Few More Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda) Quotes and Also Bringing Back the Star Wars (Disney) References</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lance’s room was right next to Keiths in the guest facilities of the House of Commons, both of them looking out over the fields beyond, and the garden patio where they’d eaten dinner. When Lance was sitting in bed, Keith was on his right side, behind a patch of carpet, an Altean tapestry, a blue painted wall, and presumably, another tapestry and patch of carpet. Or maybe Keith was sitting in the little chair that was beside the bed. Lance didn’t know if the next door room had a plush blue armchair beside the bed. He couldn’t imagine Keith sitting in that sort of chair anyways. Lance had felt thirteen again when Keith walked around the corner and onto the patio in his fitted dress pants and shirt, hair pulled back, eyes bright and posture confident and authoritative in a way Lance had never seen before. It made him miss him more, if that was possible. Even in those few seconds when Lance was crushed against Keith’s strong chest with his face buried in the other boy's shoulder, he missed him. Lance swung his legs out of his bed and padded across the carpet to the door, opening it gently and stepping into the hall. He turned left and walked painfully into another warm body, which grunted in disapproval. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quiznak, Lance-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith?” Lance gasped, taking a step back and looking up into Keith’s grey-violet eyes, which were sparkling in amusement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are you going in such a hurry?” Keith asked teasingly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance felt his face grow hot, and he reached up to scratch at his cheekbone instinctively, looking down at his bare feet. “To see you, actually,” he mumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith was silent, but Lance heard his breath catch briefly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where were you going?” he demanded, looking back up at Keith, whose face was slightly flushed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To see you, actually,” the other boy replied awkwardly, and honestly, it took all of Lance’s self control not to push the Korean boy against the wall and kiss him until he forgot how to do anything else. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My room or yours?” Lance laughed, pulling himself together. Keith smiled softly and tilted his head towards his own room, leading Lance through his door and pulling a bottle out of his jacket. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good old fashioned Texas whiskey.” Keith nodded. “I’ve been saving it for a bad day, but I guess this will work, too.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance grinned, shuffling to sit at the foot of the bed, on the floor. Keith did have an overstuffed armchair in his room, but it was being occupied by Kosmo, who had rolled himself into an impossibly tight ball to fit in the small seat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith cracked the bottle and looked around for glasses, but couldn’t find any. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The trashy way, then,” he sighed, taking a swig straight from the bottle and sitting beside Lance on the floor. Lance didn’t really like whiskey, but the Altean wine had quickly dissipated from his system, and being so near Keith (who had unfairly unbuttoned his shirt so that his collarbone was partially exposed now) was making him jittery. He took a sip and passed the bottle back to Keith, fighting the urge to cough as the liquid burned down his throat.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So who’s going to lead the Blades if Krolia is thinking about retirement?” Lance asked after they had passed the bottle back and forth a few more times, though he already had a pretty good idea.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith sighed.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me guess,” Lance interrupted, “they asked you to lead and you said no.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith turned to him, fixing the taller boy with a stare of amused exasperation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“If I tell you you’re right, you’re going to chirp me endlessly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Classic Keith!” Lance smirked, raising one sardonic brow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I actually told them I’d think about it,” Keith interrupted, and Lance stared in shock. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“It’s not that I don’t like the idea of being a leader exactly- I mean, I don’t, really, but I’m not totally opposed to it- it’s just… Voltron… it wasn’t right for me to lead. You’re all so unfailingly </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You’re heroes- the stereotypical, put them on a t-shirt and give them a superhero name and a cool sidekick type of hero. I’m... not.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Bullshit,” Lance spat, hot annoyance burning down his throat with the next sip of whiskey. He reached over Keith for the cap and screwed it back on, turning to face the other boy and fixing him with a stern glare. “Keith, you’re the hero-iest hero of all of us. You’re constantly putting everyone else first, always making sure we’re safe, even if it means putting yourself in danger or even offering to sacrifice your own life-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“You think that makes me a hero?” Keith scoffed. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>That’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> bullshit, McClain. Heroes only die in books and television and stories. Heroes only sacrifice themselves in the media and the media makes them heroes because they’re more interesting and tragic than the rest of us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“But dying for something- that’s the biggest sacrifice you can make,” Lance protested, staring at Keith. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’d rather die than lose you, though; that’s the biggest sacrifice I could never make</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dying is easy, Lance, living is harder.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were leaning against each other, exhausted and warm-weighted-drunk from the whiskey, watching some bizarre Altean soap opera on the TV in Keith’s room when Lance startled awake, looking out the window at the light pouring in from the lawn where they had parked the Lions. Keith felt a tug, too- Red, calling for him from the flowers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>My boy. Son</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Both men leapt off the floor, and Lance caught Keith’s wrist in his hand, tugging him along as they joined Shiro, Hunk and Pidge racing down the hall and out the door. Beside Red, hoving just off the ground, was a massive, glowing creature, sapphire blue and glittering in the light of Alteas three moons. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Blue?” Lance gasped, and the ethereal Lion tossed her head happily, rumbling at them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s the Guardian now,” Pidge gasped, “she must be- that’s why she’s so…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Big?” Hunk stammered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Translucent?” Keith said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bright?” Shiro added after a moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blue turned her flashing eyes on them, and bright golden light poured from their sockets. Keith felt a wave of incomprehensible joy spilling over from his Lion as Reds eyes lit up, too, followed by Yellows, Greens, and finally Blacks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Thank you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He snuck a glance at the others, Pidge was grinning, Hunk looked peacefully content. Shiro had a sort of tranquil acceptance about him, and Lance was smiling, tears running down his cheeks. Keith looked up to see the Lions raise their heads and roar in salute, before each took off into the sky, morphing from robot to giant glowing beast, stalking away into the stars. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance went home after a month on Altea with Romelle, Coran, Shiro and Hunk, but when it was time for Hunk and Shiro to return to Earth, Lance didn’t make the mistake of staying behind again. He considered going to Daibazaal, to stay with Keith for awhile, but every time they talked, Keith was either just returning from or leaving for some mission or another. So he went home, with a case full of seedlings and a laugh that no longer ached. Things weren’t all better- most of Lance’s days still felt like grey and tasted like dust, but at least he knew he </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> feel happiness. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dying is easy, Lance, living is harder</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another month passed, and then Keith disappeared. He was on a mission somewhere near where Naxzela used to be, and suddenly he went radio silent. Lance contacted Krolia and Kolivan, and even Lotor, but none of them seemed too worried. Apparently it was a solo mission that hinged on Keith’s ability to lay low and not be detected, so they weren’t concerned with his sudden lack of contact. Lance agreed to wait another month for him to surface before going to find him, but after three weeks of staring at his com all hours of the day, Lance took an MFE fighter and set off to the Naxzela system alone. He searched high and low for Keith, taking down small Galran rebellions wherever he found them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> After a few weeks of being back in the field (sort of) Lance began shaving the underside of his hair close to his scalp to keep it from growing out too long, and slicing slim x’s into his cheekbones almost every morning to keep the grey fog away. It was worse, not knowing where Keith was. Not being able to at least message him every day- or call. They’d called a lot since the anniversary, and it had brought a splash of violet into Lance’s life that he’d never thought he would need as much as he did; relying on Keith was a reflex, now, but it still somehow surprised him. He kept in touch with his family when he could, but being back in the thick of the fighting made him feel estranged from them- as though he had become someone else, someone whose people were younger and tougher and war-worn. Before he knew it, almost six months had passed since he last saw Keith, and the Blades’ second-in-command had been missing for four of them. Lance considered calling on the rest of the Blade for help, but they hadn’t seemed particularly concerned the first time, so he didn’t bother. He let his mind and body re-sharpen to the life of running and hiding and fighting, and every day he was grateful for the training he’d gotten sparring with Shiro and Keith. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He remembered how exciting it had been watching Keith train with Shiro, and Acxa, Ezor and eventually Zethrid. Since the older boy had started sparring with Lotor’s generals, even Shiro could barely keep up with him in a fight; it was fun to see Keith get the shit kicked out of him sometimes. It was fun to see him improve, too. Pidge had spent the last few weeks on the ATLAS trying to come up with an appropriate name for the four ferocious Galrans that occupied the training room almost daily from 6am to 9am (Shiro usually tapped out after an hour or so, citing old age, but Lance knew he enjoyed watching, as well). Hunk’s favourite was “Keith and his Lesbians”, but Pidge and Lance both agreed that “Gang of Galran Gays” was superior. Keith and the three Galran women simply rolled their eyes at both. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever they were called, they had unwittingly assured Lance’s survival on his search. He implemented the techniques he had learned by watching them and training with them to use them against any Galran adversaries, and incorporated them into his own movement as well, making him a much deadlier opponent than he ever had been in close combat. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was nearly seven weeks before Lance finally found Keith, in a well established camp of Zarkon supporters that had hidden themselves deep in the asteroid field that was the remains of planet Taujeer. Lance was unable to do anything at first, as he had injured himself quite badly in a skirmish on the borders of the settlement, and was nursing a painful gash that stretched from the top of his left hip to the bottom of his right floating rib. He spent his first night in the camp grinding his teeth in rage as he watched Keith battle his way through the Galran fighting ring. He avoided the place after that, aware that he wouldn’t be much help to Keith in his current state, but unwilling to watch his friend get beaten and broken every evening. Finally, when he was feeling well enough, he returned to the ring, wearing a heavy mask and a stolen breastplate with the old Galran empire symbol on it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tonight,” cried the thin Galran in the center of the ring, who Lance recognized as the announcer from the first evening. “We have a very special treat for the winner! Miraculously, he survived yesterday evening's events, so he’s here to stand in place of your monetary winnings again- unless you’d rather take the money!” The announcer laughed and the crowd scoffed. “The Red paladin of Voltron-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a loud boo and clatter of jeers from the crowd at this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, I know, I can hardly stand to look at him either,” The announcer sympathized, “But tonight, the winner of the arena will have four vargas to spend with the Red paladin, in which they may do... what they will with him.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A cheer rippled through the crowd, and Lance felt bile rise in his throat. He shrank back against the wall, unable to watch the faces of the crowd any longer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “As you all know, the Red paladin has proven a worthy opponent in the ring!” The announcer said, and there was Keith, being pushed forwards by a squat Galran Lance vaguely recognized. He was limping badly, but his face was defiant. Lance watched the way the Galran holding him upright for the crowd skimmed over Keith's battered body with his gaze, and the bile that had been threatening to spill from his throat finally came up into the dark corner where Lance was standing. He wished he’d called for backup. He wished he knew what to do, how to fix this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Unfortunately, the Red paladin has broken his half-human ankle- so fragile, these human creatures!” The announcer laughed, and the crowd roared its agreement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sadly, he is of no use to us in the ring anymore,” the announcer sighed in false sympathy, “And you know what happens to fighters that are no longer entertaining, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Put down!” the crowd roared, and Lance felt another wave of nausea roll through him. He was just alert enough to hear the announcer say, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...make sure his last night alive is punishment enough for what he’s done to us…” Before he was puking the rest of the contents of his guts onto the floor. Lance watched the fight in mute horror, trying to come up with some semblance of a plan. Eventually, there were only two contestants left in the fight, and Lance finally, </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span> had an idea. One he couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of earlier. He barely looked at the winner of the last fight before he was strapping the mask onto his face securely and making his way to the edge of the arena. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have a winner!” the announcer was crying when Lance launched himself over the barrier. He cleared his throat, and addressed the crowd. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Red Paladin of Voltron is a </span>
  <em>
    <span>very personal</span>
  </em>
  <span> rival of mine- he defeated me in combat just five months ago and I have trained to take him down ever since!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The crowd roared in approval. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I have had a vendetta against this man since before he joined the traitorous Blades of Marmora, and I plan on giving him </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> what he deserves for all that he has done to me!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>More jeering, and cheers from the crowd. Lance looked over to where Keith was standing against the wall, looking defiant as ever. His eyes were blank, his mouth set in a hard line. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to challenge the winner for the honour of ending the Red paladins… suffering.” Lance said, sneering the words in his best impression of a pissed off Lotor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you think?” The announcer cried, “Can rage </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> beat size and skill in this fight?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The crowd roared, and the winner of the last fight -a man over two feet taller than Lance, with a gold canine and a long braid who looked vaguely familiar- flexed and grinned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If he wants to taste my steel he is welcome to it!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh I’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>love</span>
  </em>
  <span> to,” Lance purred, hoping the innuendo would throw the taller man off. The man narrowed his eyes and Lance shrugged, pulling his new Altean-made broadsword from its sheath and holding it up for the crowd. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I won this blade from the Black paladin of Voltron himself! Do you really think I can lose this fight?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sneaked a glance at Keith, who had lost the cool indifference and was snarling in fury. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Enough showboating,” the tall gold-toothed man sneered, and lunged at Lance. It only took a few strikes before Lance figured out his weakness- he, like Lance, had probably injured his left leg at some point, and favoured that side slightly. Lance knew exactly how that might affect his movement, and watched carefully for the telling moments of unbalance. The man was bigger than Lance, and therefore significantly slower. Lance took his time, doing as much damage as he could to the man's sword arm and anywhere else he could reach. At one point, he lost his own balance due to the slight weakness of his left leg, and was rewarded for his clumsiness by a blow across his right shoulder. It was time to be done with this fight, Lance decided, and ducked under the man's arm, looking for a gap in his armour. There was one- right between his shoulder blades at the back. Lance would have to strike hard for it to be a debilitating blow, but it was an opening, and that was enough. Lance flipped his sword in his hand and slammed the handle into the man's exposed spine. The Galran roared, stumbling forwards and making to turn on Lance, but he was too slow; Lance caught hold of his braid and wrenched his head back, pressing his sword to the man's throat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Should I finish him off?” He called to the crowd, who jeered and whooped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s enough, kid. Save it for the Red paladin.” The announcer interrupted, grabbing Lance’s hand and throwing it into the air. Lance let out a whoop that was part celebration and part relief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“At the end of this hall is a private room that you will have for your personal use to… do what you will. If you want the money, you’ll leave him alive at the end of your four hours.” The announcer explained as he led Lance through a hallway </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Understood,” Lance replied, fighting back the nausea that was once again rising through him. “Will there be security outside the room?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The announcer grinned, “What, you don’t think you can handle him?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I’ve handled him just fine before,” Lance responded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We can station a guard if you would like-”</span>
</p>
<p><span>“No.” Lance interrupted. </span><em><span>Too</span></em> <em><span>eager</span></em><span>. “No, I wouldn’t want to subject anyone else to hearing this.”  </span></p>
<p>
  <span>“Considerate,” the announcer said dryly, and opened the door for Lance to go through, “Enjoy your winnings.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance looked around the sparse room, decorated with several chairs, a table, various bindings and countless torture devices. Keith was sitting in a chair in the center, his hands chained in front of him and his ankles bound. They had removed the black pants and shirt he had been wearing in the arena, leaving him in a pair of small grey shorts that resembled his under-armour jumpsuit. He was thinner than usual, but had built bulk muscle where there hadn’t been before- had new scars where there weren’t any before. He looked exhausted, and malnourished, but he was alive. Lance noticed the keys to the locks attached to Keith’s wrists hanging on the wall, and picked them up. A feeling of deja vu flashed through him, but Lance ignored it, focusing on Keith instead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello, paladin,” Lance whispered, finally allowing himself to study Keith's face. His hair was wild, but someone had pulled it into a loose ponytail before leaving him in the room. He had a gash through his right eyebrow and a split lip. His cheekbones were knifesharp under his skin, his right eye was bruised and swollen, and his body was covered in bruises and cuts at various states of healing. Most were fairly fresh- probably from the previous night.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you frightened?” Lance asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There is nothing you can do to me that they have not already done,” Keith snarled, and Lance’s eyes filled despite his best efforts not to let them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t bet on that,” Lance said, walking forward and taking Keith’s hands. Keith spat in his face, and Lance just laughed, rubbing gentle circles into the older boy's pulse points under the chains, stroking up the metal arm until he felt a vein under Keith's skin. Keith gasped, shoulders dropping. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, bud,” Lance said gently, unlocking the padlock and untangling the chains from Keith’s wrists. The Korean boys calloused and cool metal hands were on him in a second, pulling his mask away from his face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance- fucking hell-” he gasped, tears streaming freely down his face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I love you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Lance wanted to say, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m so glad I found you- I couldn’t live any longer without you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m here, bud,” is what he managed. Keith was running his hands over Lance’s face and through his hair, over his arms and chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quiznak, Lance, your face- fuck- I’m so sorry I should have- shit, Lance.” He collapsed forward, suddenly, falling into Lance with a heart wrenching sob. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m here, I’m here. I’m never letting you go again,” Lance murmured. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need to get out of here- if they catch you- Lance. Holy shit.” Keith scrambled back, untangling the chain from his legs and standing carefully. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I brought you a mask,” Lance said, pulling a piece of fabric from his pocket. “And I asked the announcer to give me some clean clothes, so you can wear those.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance looked around at the room and immediately noticed a small window near the ceiling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I boost you up, can you get through that window?” He asked, and Keith stared at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re not getting out of here unless it’s together, idiot. I will </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> leave you behind.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who said anything about leaving me behind?” Lance grinned, “Don’t you trust my magnificent leaping ability?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Honestly no, but it’s the best plan we’ve got,” Keith grumbled, pulling on the clothing the Announcer had provided, tucking the hood over his head and the mask around his mouth and nose. Lance handed him a short sword and a dagger.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok. Once we’re out, let me lead the way. My ship is in a cave close by, and security is pretty lax around here since there's so few of them and they think they’re so well hidden.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s good, because I don’t know if I can run,” Keith replied grimly, placing his heel into Lance’s interlocked fingers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just like horseback riding,” Lance joked, “I’ll count to three and then you jump as best you can,” he added as an explanation.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve been horseback riding, Lance,” Keith snapped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seriously?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just count.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Ok, let’s go.” Lance replied, holding out his hands to help Keith out of the window. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait- Lance... thank you,” Keith said, touching Lance’s jaw gently before turning around and allowing Lance to boost him up and over the sill. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, come on!” He called. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance took a running leap for the sill, pushing himself off the wall and feeling his cut ribs open as he hauled himself through. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ouch, fucking Quiznak!” Lance grumbled. They were only spotted by one other Galra on their way out, and before Lance could do anything, Keith had flung his arm drunkenly over his shoulder and shouted something incoherent. Catching on, Lance laughed and allowed Keith's weight to cause him to stumble and sway. The Galran grinned at them and waved as they passed. When they arrived at Lance’s camp, Keith collapsed into the pilots seat, groaning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I… take a look at you?” Lance asked carefully. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m all cleaned up, if that’s what you’re wondering,” Keith replied sleepily, “I have some stitches in my back but they’re clean and good to go.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, good,” Lance answered, yanking off his mask, breastplate, shirt, and the leg guard he’d repurposed to cover the bandage on his stomach. Keith watched silently as Lance cleaned the reopened wound and bandaged it again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve only got the one sleeping bag, but you’re welcome to it. I’m going to fly us out of here. I’m fucking sick of this place.” Lance tossed the sleeping bag and Keith, who pulled out the blanket tucked inside and wrapped himself in it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll stay up and keep you company,” he said, almost shy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, but really- if you need to sleep, please do,” Lance told him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No I- I’d rather not.” Keith stood up and let Lance sit down in the pilots seat, doing a quick check of the ship before preparing for takeoff. Neither said anything as Lance wove his way through the asteroid field, but once they were in open space, Keith breathed out a sigh of relief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance, thank you. I would- I would have died in there without you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course,” Lance answered, keeping his eyes ahead of them, even though the ship was basically on autopilot right now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can- are you ok?” Keith asked him, studying his face and the still healing scratches on his cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance looked over at the dark haired boy, smiling softly, “I’m fine, now.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith closed his eyes, smiling slightly and swaying on his feet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dude, you look exhausted,” Lance said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith just shook his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith…” Lance sighed, opening his arms wide, “C’mere.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith’s eyes blew open and he stared at Lance. “What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Unless- unless you’re uncomfortable! I just-” Lance couldn’t think of a valid explanation other than</span>
  <em>
    <span> I missed you so much it hurt</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith didn’t answer, just shuffled forward awkwardly until he was standing in front of Lance, who reached out and gently pulled the older boy into his lap. Keith fell asleep drooling onto Lance’s shoulder, his hair tickling Lance’s chin. He was heavy, and too warm, and kept shifting around awkwardly. It was the most comfortable Lance had been in months. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. How to Fall For Your Black Paladin (Even Harder)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just some wholesome healing content now friends. I know this has been the slowest slow burn ever but I promise we're getting there. These boys have had bigger things to worry about.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They landed on Altea a day and a half later. Keith had slept most of the time, taking a shift at the controls so Lance could get a few hours. Lance checked in on Coran and Romelle, briefly explaining where he’d been while Keith video called with his mother and then Shiro, who was furious Lance had gone after his brother without him. When Lance arrived in his room, Keith was already there, laying on the thick carpet and cuddling with Kosmo. </p><p>“I missed you too, you big idiot,” he was teasing the wolf. </p><p>“Hey!” Lance joked, feigning offence as he let himself into the room. Keith laughed, sitting up and gesturing around the room. </p><p>“You’ve been using this as a home base then? It looks more lived in than last time.” </p><p>Lance didn’t answer, he was too busy gaping. Because Keith was wearing his old green  jacket. And sure, it was a little tight over the shoulders and the arms, but otherwise fit perfectly, and Lance was reeling from how much he loved this man. Grey fog felt like a distant memory with Keith here. </p><p>“Lance?”</p><p>“Oh, sorry, must have zoned out,” Lance spluttered. </p><p>“No worries,” Keith said, squinting at him worriedly. </p><p>“So…” </p><p>“So.” They stared at each other a little uncomfortably, until Keith said, </p><p>“How do you feel about being a copilot on a trip to a little planet nobody's ever heard of?” </p><p>Lance stared at him, “Depends who’s asking?” </p><p>“Me. I’m asking. Actually, I’m demanding.” </p><p>“Demanding?” Lance raised his eyebrows. “You know, normally I’m into that, but it’s usually not a multiple day contract.”</p><p>Keith snorted, then fluttered his eyelashes teasingly, “Well you’ll be getting an experience of a lifetime, then.” </p><p>Lance felt blood rise to his face and willed it away with all his might. “Which planet?”</p><p>“Earth.” </p><p>Lance froze, staring at Keith. “You- <em> you </em> want to go to Earth?”  </p><p>“I need a fucking break, Lance, look at me.” Keith grumbled. “And Shiro told me you’ve been gone for over four months. Your family must be worried.”</p><p>“Oh- ok,” Lance replied disbelievingly, “Let’s go to Earth.” </p><p> </p><p>The trip took them a day and a half, thanks to the new wormhole system developed by Pidge, Ember and Coran. They were about five hours in when Lance finally asked, </p><p>“Keith… do you want to, y’know, talk?”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“About what happened,” Lance explains awkwardly, looking up from where he’s settled next to Kosmo behind Keith's seat. </p><p>“There’s not much to talk about. I was on a solo reconnaissance mission. I got captured, put on a ship, and sent to Taujeer- or, the remains of Taujeer. They wanted to test stamina, I guess, so they didn’t let me sleep on the way there. I passed out like a day before we arrived and they couldn’t wake me up, so I guess they got bored and left me alone for I don’t know… maybe a week? They fed me every seventeen vargas, but I lost count of how many times they brought food so I have no clue how long I was in solitary. Then they started putting me in the ring. That was about nine weeks before you found me,” Keith shrugged. </p><p>“But… they tortured you,” Lance said weakly.</p><p>“I’ve been tortured before. I meant what I said, Lance, the only thing the Galra haven’t done to me is take one of my limbs- and I think these guys only avoided that because they…” Keith trailed off, grimacing at the control panel, “they liked having me intact- or as intact as it gets, with me.” He lifted his prosthetic arm and dropped it back to the controls.</p><p>Lance shuddered. “Keith. Did-”</p><p>“I don’t want to talk about it,” Keith snapped. </p><p>Lance stayed quiet, stroking Kosmos nose gently.</p><p>“What about you,” Keith asked, softer, this time. “You- you looked pretty rough when you found me… and your- your face- what happened? On the anniversary you said it was eczema but I <em> know </em> you, Lance. You’d never quit those damn facemasks.” </p><p>“I just need to… to have something to remind me to… feel, I guess,” Lance mumbled. </p><p>Keith looked over his shoulder fleetingly, brow furrowed in worry. </p><p>“Lance- tell me you didn’t.” </p><p>Lance couldn’t answer for a moment. “It stopped the panic attacks,” he mumbled finally.</p><p>“When this ship lands,” Keith said evenly, “I am going to slap the <em> shit </em> out of you, and then you are going to consent yourself to a five minute hug. <em> No arguing </em>.”</p><p>Lance just stared, jaw dropped slightly as Keith expertly dodged around a small cluster of asteroids that had somehow made their way into the wormhole. </p><p>“Take a note of our location for me? We should let Pidge and Coran know about that.” </p><p>Lance did as he was told, still staring at the back of Keith’s head. </p><p> </p><p>They landed in Varadero twelve hours later, stiff and muzzy headed from traveling so fast for so long. </p><p>“You’re staying, Keith, <em> no arguing </em>,” Lance told him as the security team inspected them. </p><p>“I don’t want to intrude on your time with your family-”</p><p>“Shut. Up!” Lance almost yelled in exasperation, laughing a little. “You <em> are </em> family, Keith. Deal with it.” </p><p>Keith was too overcome with gratitude to reply.</p><p>“You’re free to go, Commander Kogane, General McClain,” the security guard told them, and they walked out of the hangar with their bags over their shoulders. Lance spotted the motorbike before Keith could explain that it was their ride, and whooped. </p><p>“Keith Kogane, you <em> asshole </em>!”</p><p>“I hate cars,” Keith shrugged, slinging their bags on the back and handing Lance a helmet. </p><p>“I’m so honoured to be riding with you once again, Commander Kogane,” Lance teased. Keith scoffed at him, and they got on the bike, Lance’s body warm and assuring pressed against Keith's back. They stopped at the nearby mall to get some clothes for Keith- though Lance ended up picking out pretty much everything he bought, including a few things for himself. It was almost physically painful watching Lance sashay out of the store in a ridiculously short pair of shorts and a white crop top, sunglasses perched on his nose and grin fully intact.</p><p>“You let your mother see you in shit like that?” Keith grumbled, tugging on the zipper of his new red jacket (Lance’s choice, obviously).</p><p>“I look hot.” Lance shrugged. </p><p>Keith just groaned, happy to see Lance happy, but unsure how he was going to survive this vacation. </p><p>They stuffed their clothes and groceries onto the bike and headed off towards Lance’s family’s ranch. </p><p>“What does your family grow?” Keith yelled over the wind. </p><p>“Everything! Tobaco, frijoles, marijuana,” Lance’s voice became accented as he listed off the plants, “frutas cítricas- limas, limóns, tomates-”</p><p>“Tomatoes are not a <em> citrus fruit </em>!” Keith shouted, outraged. </p><p>Lance cackled, “Just making sure you’re paying attention!” </p><p>“Tienes vacas?” Keith calls. </p><p>“Si! Buen trabajo!” Lance laughed.</p><p>“I grew up in Texas, Lance, you really thought I didn’t speak at least <em> some </em> Spanish?” Keith retorted. He was about to say more, but suddenly the road curved and he caught his first glimpse of Varadero beach. He slowed down to take it in, watching the crystalline blue waves washing over the glittering sand. </p><p>“It’s better now, weirdly,” Lance said, “Before the Galra it was surrounded by resorts and tourists. Now it’s-”</p><p>“Unbelievable.” Keith shook his head, eyes wide. Lance chuckled, and Keith sped up again, steering them towards home.</p><p> </p><p>There were three houses on the McClain ranch, one large, low single story that was lived in by Lance’s parents and his twin sister, Rachel. The other was a tiny guest house with a kitchen, bathroom, small living area and a sleeping loft, which was where Lance directed Keith to park the bike. The guest house was settled precariously on the edge of a little creek that bubbled through the fields, separated from the other two homes by a strip of cow pasture, another strip of marijuana, and a third strip of corn. The third house on the property belonged to Luis, Lisa, and Lance’s niece and nephew, Silvio and Nadia, who were nine and six, respectively. Next door on another, smaller property, was Lance’s other brother Marco and his new wife Laurel, and their eleven-month old son, Freddy II. It was a lot of names for Keith to remember. </p><p>“I don’t know if I’m going to remember all that,” Keith told Lance as he led the way along the creek through the fields.</p><p>“You’ll do fine, if you forget, just call everyone ‘McClain’.” </p><p>Keith rolled his eyes and almost tripped into a pot plant that was taller than Pidge. </p><p>“Watch the weed!” </p><p>Rosalda McClain was waiting on the front porch for them to arrive, and swept Lance into a tight hug the moment she saw him. </p><p>“Mijo- oh my god-” she was muttering in his ear in first Spanish, then English, then Spanish again. </p><p>“What happened to you?” She murmured, pulling back and running her thumbs over the angry red scars on Lance’s cheeks, taking him in. Lance looked older than he had five months ago, dark circles under his eyes, calluses covering his hands and a change in his posture that made him look more like a soldier than he ever had. </p><p>“Mama, estoy bien- no preocupes,” Lance mumbled. </p><p>Rosalda was crying uninhibitedly, running her hands over Lance’s face and hair. Then she caught sight of Keith- who, despite spending a few hours in a healing pod on Altea, still looked a bit worse for wear. </p><p>“Keith- mi conejito, my poor boy. Lance said you were imprisoned?”</p><p>“Mama!” Lance snapped, shaking his head and Rosalda reached over and pulled Keith into a hug. </p><p>“It’s fine, Lance. I was captured by a Galran rebel force, but thanks to Lance I’m ok,</p><p> now.” </p><p>“Brave boys,” Rosalda sniffed. “Please, come inside, everyone is waiting for you.” </p><p>The swarm of McClains that surrounded them as soon as they stepped into the house was overwhelming. The ‘Cuba House’ as Lance called it, was exponentially different from the house Keith had visited in the US, which had been a rental that the family stayed at for a few years while Lance and Veronica were in school; Veronica lived there now, with a few roommates. While that house had been cramped and full of generic furniture that looked as though it had been pulled from a catalogue, the Cuba House was open and arid, with old furniture that had been painted, repaired with mismatched legs, or propped up by driftwood, pebbles, or stacks of books. There were colourful hangings on the wall, and the sun streamed through the plethora of windows- all framed with different woods and patterns. It smelled faintly of pot, cumin and something citrusy. Lance and Keith were corralled into the kitchen and soon Keith was holding a beer and making awkward small talk with Luis while stirring a pot of soup that Lance kept throwing chopped herbs and vegetables into. It was the kind of unbelievable domesticity that Keith had only experienced once or twice before, with Adam and Shiro; even that couldn’t compare to the comfort and boisterous ease of the McClain household. </p><p>“Tio Lance!” cried three voices as the children and Laurel spilled into the kitchen. </p><p>“Tio Lance you’re back!” Nadia shrieked, running and leaping into Lance’s arms. He swung her around, then reached down to hug Silvio, who was biting his lip shyly and sneaking sideways glances at Keith.  </p><p> “Hi, Commander Kogane,” he said in a small voice. </p><p>“Just Ke-”</p><p>“That’s Tio Keith to you guys, right Keith?” Lance grinned and Keith tripped over his own words, spluttering uncomfortably and then finally nodding. </p><p>“Tio Keith!” Nadia cried, reaching up for a hug. Keith could tell he was bright red, but he leaned down and embraced the little girl, who leapt into his arms easily. Keith lifted her up, balancing her on his hip as she removed the spoon from his hands, giving the pot a stir before declaring. </p><p>“All done! Let’s go visit the cows.” </p><p>“Uh- I- ah-”</p><p>“Go on,” Lance nodded, “Be gentle with Tio Keith, he’s never been on a farm before. Why don’t you show him the chickens and the goats first. Cows might be too scary!” </p><p>“Shut up, Lance!” Keith laughed, and Nadia giggled too. “I can’t wait to see Kaltenecker again!”</p><p>“Come on… Ti- Tio- Tio Keith,” stammered Silvio, tugging on Keith’s hand and leading him outside. </p><p>“<em> Help me! </em>” Keith mouthed at Lance, who just shot him an evil grin and allowed the kids to pull him out into the pink evening light. </p><p>They went on a full tour of the barns, showing off the goats, chickens, horses and bees. The kids took to Kosmo immediately, and the wolf was begrudgingly patient with them, though he really didn’t like the horses. As Nadia was explaining how she got to remove the honey from the honeycombs, a loud bell rang out clearly across the farm. Keith flinched, reminded horrendously of the bell in the fighting ring, but the weight of Nadia in his arms kept him from panicking. The kids led him back to the house, chatting easily. Kosmo ran ahead of them, chasing a stick that Silvio was throwing for him with all the strength his skinny nine-year-old arms could manage; Keith was proud to see that Kosmo avoided teleporting so the young boy could have something to giggle at as the blue wolf skidded over the grass. </p><p> </p><p>Lance was astonished to see the change in the kids- and Keith- when the three of them arrived back at the house. Nadia was sitting on Keith’s shoulders, holding a ripe orange, and Silvio was holding Keith’s hand and pointing out various aspects of the landscape that Keith seemed to be taking in with serious, careful interest. </p><p>“Tio Keith, will you sit with us at dinner?” Silvio asked. </p><p>“Sorry guys,” Lance called from the front porch, where he was holding the wooden chime of a gong made from an old propane tank, “But Tio Keith’s legs are too long for the kids table.” </p><p>“I’ll sit with you for dessert,” Keith promised, squeezing Silvio’s hand. </p><p>“Go wash your hands, children,” Lance ordered, teasingly including Keith in the statement. Keith punched him lightly in the arm as he walked by, but brought the kids into the kitchen, carefully helping Nadia scrub her tiny hands clean while telling them both about the decontamination chamber on the Castle of Lions. </p><p>“You didn’t tell me you were good with kids,” Lance hissed as they sat down, resisting the urge to pin the other boy against the wall and kiss him senseless. He hadn’t seen Keith this at ease in ages, and the braid he’d woven into his hair while out with the kids... </p><p>Keith shrugged, “I’m not, really. They’re just smart kids.” </p><p>Lance shook his head, tearing his eyes away from Keith to tune back in to his family’s conversation. They ate and caught up on all the goings-on, and Lance kept their less-pleasant experiences on the ship short and non-specific. He thought it was strange that nobody had mentioned his leg until dessert; he and Keith were sitting cross legged on the floor with the kids, when Nadia tapped his prosthetic with her fingers and says, </p><p>“Why is your leg metal, Tio Lance?” </p><p>The entire room seemed to hold its breath, and Silvio hissed angrily at Nadia, </p><p>“Nadia! Mama told us not to ask! She said Tio Lance was embarrassed!”  </p><p>Lance snapped his gaze away from the kids and glared up at the adult table, all of whom were looking fairly guilty. </p><p>“Come on, guys,” Keith said quietly, reaching towards the kids, “Nadia, I think now would be a great time to show me your garden over at your house!” </p><p>“I want to stay here-”</p><p>“Not right now, Silvio, I really want to see your bunny, too!” Keith insisted, “Come on! Have you guys ever heard of a Webblum?” </p><p>Lance had never been more grateful for Keith in his life (maybe a slight exaggeration, but still). He waited until Keith and the kids were outside the door, before standing up from the floor, seething, and staring down his brother and sister-in-law. </p><p>“What. The. Fuck.”</p><p>Luis shook his head, “Lance, we just thought it would be traumatic for the kids-” </p><p>“So you told them I’d be <em> embarrassed </em>?”</p><p>“Well we weren’t sure if it was a touchy-”</p><p>“Of <em> course </em> it’s a touchy subject! But they are my niece and nephew! And they’re going to meet plenty more people who have lost limbs -or worse- to this war! Do you really want them going through life thinking that it’s an <em> embarrassment </em> to make a sacrifice like that for the sake of <em> their </em> future?” Lance roared. The table was silent, staring up at him blankly. Lance remembered Keith at the conference table on the ATLAS, lilac eyes flashing and voice raising as he stared Griffin down. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but then Lisa spoke again, </p><p>“Lance, we’re just trying to protect the kids. They’re so young, and stories about war… they could really traumatize them. So please, while you’re here, if you could avoid telling them about it- and Keith, too, if you could tell him not to-” </p><p>“Oh, ok,” Lance responded, voice deadly calm, “I’ll just let him know that all those stories he’s been regaling them with about his five months being starved out and tortured so they could make sure he lost in the Galran fighting rings, aren’t appropriate for children. </p><p>And I’ll avoid the subject of, you know, all the people I’ve had to kill in the last few months just get to him- or- <em> damn </em>, there goes my idea for a bedtime story! ‘Hey guys, this is about the time I had to stab my best friend in the stomach and watch her bleed out in front of me!” Lance slammed both fists onto the table, dropping his head. </p><p>“Mijo-” Rosalda reached out to grab his wrist. &lt;&lt;They are Silvio and Nadia’s parents. It’s their call,&gt;&gt; She said softly in her pretty Spanish. Lance had missed hearing it, but it didn’t quell his anger. </p><p>&lt;&lt;Well it’s the wrong call,&gt;&gt; Lance snarled. &lt;&lt;You really don’t trust me to know what parts of these stories aren’t appropriate for your children? You honestly don’t comprehend how many crying kids I’ve had to soothe while they scream for their parents and their home as their planets explode behind them?&gt;&gt; </p><p>&lt;&lt;Luis and Lisa are just trying to make sure that their children get to have a normal experience of childhood&gt;&gt; Marco interrupted. </p><p>&lt;&lt;Yeah. Well, part of their childhood will be watching Admiral Shirogane and his husband, Commander Williams, lead the Garrison into a new age, and both of those men have lost limbs to the Galra. Adam has a semi-prosthetic arm and a prosthetic leg. I don’t understand how you- <em> if </em> you ever realized this, but Shiro fought the entire war with a prosthetic arm, and you want to teach your kids that it’s something to be ashamed of? And what about Keith? He lost his arm saving my <em> head </em>!&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;We don’t want them asking the wrong people the wrong questions!&gt;&gt; Luis snapped. </p><p>&lt;&lt;I understand that, but I’m their <em> uncle </em> ! And telling them they have to be careful who and how they ask, and telling them it’s something to be embarrassed of are two <em> very </em> different things!&gt;&gt; Lance sighed, settling back into his seat. </p><p>&lt;&lt;I’m sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t realize...&gt;&gt; Rosalda patted his arm nervously, and Lance just shook his head. </p><p>&lt;&lt;It’s fine. It’s fine, mama, it’s not your fault.&gt;&gt; He turned his gaze to Luis and Lisa, glaring coldly &lt;&lt;But I’m going to go out there, and I’m going to tell them what happened to me, and explain that it could never be something I regret, or something I’m ashamed of.&gt;&gt; </p><p>Lance didn’t wait for a response from his family, just stood up, kissed both his parents on the cheek and walked off to find Keith and the kids. He discovered them sitting in the garden at Luis and Lisa’s, the flowers from Lisa’s rhododendron surrounding them with soft creams and pinks. Kosmo was laying at Keith’s feet, tongue lolling as the two kids rubbed his soft belly. </p><p>&lt;&lt;Hey guys. I wanted to talk to you about my leg, if you want to know.&gt;&gt; Lance smiled, and Silvio and Nadia looked at each other nervously before nodding. </p><p>&lt;&lt;Can I join you?&gt;&gt;</p><p>“Sit down!” Silvio insisted, patting a spot of grass beside him. Lance grinned, ruffling the boy’s hair. </p><p>“Thanks, Silvio.” Lance settled down onto the grass and took a deep breath before beginning his story. </p><p>&lt;&lt;Tio Keith and I were very scared for you guys, you know. We were so worried that we were going to lose you, we knew we had to give everything we had to make sure you were safe. There was a woman from another planet who was so sad with how her life turned out, that she went a little crazy. She started trying to take you guys, and Keith’s family, and all the other planets and people away from us, and we had to make sure she could never do that,&gt;&gt; Lance explained, watching Keith’s expression deepen into something he couldn’t name. “So I had to protect Tio Keith and my friends, and the woman made a cut in my leg with a dangerous weapon, and then the cut got worse and worse… I was so sick that all I could do was sleep, because there was poison in my body from the cut, and Keith was really worried that it would hurt the rest of me, too, not just my leg.” </p><p>&lt;&lt;Did Tio Keith cut off your leg?&gt;&gt; Silvio gasped, wide eyed. </p><p>“No-”</p><p>&lt;&lt;I did helped- help. Sorry. I was there when the doctor did it, and I was assisting,&gt;&gt; Keith said, struggling a little with the unfamiliar syllables. Lance was so entranced by the concept of Keith speaking spanish that he almost didn’t process what was being said until a few moments later. </p><p> &lt;&lt;It was frightening, but I knew that if we don’t, Tio Lance will become sick, and he will never be allowed to see you guys again.&gt;&gt;</p><p>Lance stared at Keith, unable to quite comprehend the admission- what it would have been like to have to see that sort of thing up close. Lance had seen some truly awful things, but he’d never had to witness someone’s limb being forcibly removed in close context.</p><p>“Uh- I-” He stammered, looking helplessly at Keith, who seemed to realize that he wasn’t going to be able to finish the story. </p><p>“But then we took off the part of his leg that was hurt, so it couldn’t hurt the rest of him anymore, and our friend Ember made him a new leg so that he could come save me when I needed it!” </p><p>“You needed to get saved, too?” Nadia asked, playing absently with Keith’s braid. </p><p>“All the time,” Keith told her seriously. </p><p>“And Tio Lance saves you?” Silvio asked, staring back and forth between the two former paladins. </p><p>“Every time.” Keith flicked his eyes up to Lance’s and a small smile flickered over his face. </p><p> </p><p>They brought the kids back to the house and made their way across the fields to the guest house, despite Rosalda’s insistence that either of them were welcome to stay in the spare room in the main house.</p><p>“It’s ok, mama. We might- we shouldn’t. Neither of us are very good about sleeping through the night these days. We wouldn’t want to wake you,” Lance assured her.</p><p>The truth was, he couldn’t bear the idea of Keith sleeping all the way in the main house- so far away- when he had just got him back. They set up their individual piles of pillows and blankets in the sleeping loft, and Lance made two cups of hot cocoa. </p><p>“Thanks for today, Keith.” </p><p>“Thank you, for having me here. I’m sorry about Luis and Lisa.” </p><p>Lance shrugged, curling his fingers around his mug. “They’ll come around.” </p><p>They both sipped their cocoa quietly, until Lance raised his head to meet Keith’s storm-grey eyes and asked, </p><p>“Did you really help Keira with my surgery?” </p><p>Keith grimaced, “Yeah. I did.”</p><p>Lance stared at him in disbelief. </p><p>“It was awful,” Keith admitted. </p><p>“Why?” Lance asked bluntly. </p><p>“Why did I do it?” </p><p>Lance nodded, and Keith lowered his gaze back to his cocoa. </p><p>“I guess…” He sighed, looking out the window and the glittering creek, “I guess I needed to be there to make sure you were ok.” </p><p>Lance bit his lip, unsure what to say. </p><p>He settled with, “Thank you.” </p><p>Keith just shrugged and smiled slightly. </p><p>They finished their cocoa in sleepy silence, until finally Lance yawned and stretched, aching to fall into his soft, warm bed. </p><p>“I need to sleep, are you coming?” He asked, and Keith shook his head, avoiding Lance’s gaze. </p><p>“I’ll be up in a bit,” he said softly.</p><p>“Ok,” Lance made deliberate eye-contact before settling his hand on Keith’s shoulder, squeezing it before he headed up to bed. </p><p>He was so deeply asleep that he didn’t hear Keith come up and crawl into his own bed, but he did hear him cry out when he jerked awake. </p><p>“Keith?” </p><p>“Sorry, nightmare,” Keith said, voice wavering and small. </p><p>“I-” Lance rolled over and out of his bed, down the ladder and into the lower part of the house. When he returned, he flicked on the small strand of white twinkle lights that were strung above the window, and offered Keith his hand. The older boy was huddled in a ball in the corner of his mattress, but he took Lance’s hand and allowed him to pull him to the open window. </p><p>“Brought you -well, us- this. If you want,” Lance said, holding up a joint and a lighter. </p><p>Keith chuckled shortly, “It’s been awhile.”</p><p>“Since you’ve smoked a joint out of the window at 1am?”</p><p>“Exactly,” Keith answered, smoothly taking both lighter and joint from Lance and lighting it. He took a long drag, coughed, and handed it to Lance with shaking hands, rolling his eyes at the younger boys giggling. </p><p>“Fuck off,” Keith choked out, a small smile playing around his lips. “I told you, it’s been awhile.” </p><p>Lance inhaled the smoke into his lungs and passed the joint back to Keith, starting to reply but choking on the harsh dryness of the smoke. </p><p>“Oh shut up!” He chuckled when he saw that Keith was now laughing at him. </p><p>Thus began a routine of sorts: every morning Lance would wake Keith up and 5am to go help Luis and Freddy feed the animals and send the cows and horses out to pasture. Then, once the chores were nearly done for the morning, Lance and Keith would practice sparring or go for a run on the beach or in the fields, laughing and teasing each other mercilessly. They would head to the big house for breakfast and nine, and spend the rest of the day either playing with the kids, riding horses through the dry hills, or exploring the city and other areas around the ranch. Every evening they would have dinner with the family, and head back to the guest house to relax- watching television or sitting in comfortable companionship. They took turns getting up in the middle of the night to retrieve the supplies needed to roll their joints from the small wooden box downstairs, and whoever had the least shaky hands when one -or both- of them woke from night terrors would roll a joint. They would lean out the window and blow smoke into the breeze, sometimes talking, sometimes not. This routine went on for four days, and Lance had never felt so peaceful in his life, despite the sleepless nights. </p><p>
  <span>On the fifth evening, Lance dragged Keith down to the beach after dinner, claiming he was going to ‘build him a bonfire’. Keith wasn’t entirely sure how accurate that claim would turn out to be, but Lance was true to his word, building a cheerful little campfire in a secluded corner of the beach with some driftwood and pallets he’d carried from the ranch. It wasn’t quite a bonfire, but Keith wasn’t complaining. He just basked in the warmth of the fire, and Lance’s laughter. Lance was wearing that awful white cropped tee shirt he’d bought on their first day in Varadero, and his ridiculously short shorts. Keith couldn’t look away from him, with the orange glow from the fire turning him into a genuine bronze statue, his blue eyes with their pupils blown wide from the joint they were sharing, his laugh boisterous and contagious. Keith sat on the blanket they’d brought, digging his toes in the sand and watching Lance dance around the fire. He’d never wanted to touch him more. The expanse of his mid-back and upper abs tantalizingly close as he swayed his hips to the music was infuriating; Keith didn’t realize he was glaring until Lance told him he looked grouchier than either Freddy at nap-time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I was just thinking about something,” Keith told him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance swooped down, extracted the joint from Keith’s hand, put it between his perfect bow lips, and pulled Keith up to stand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop thinking,” he said, blowing smoke in Keith's face and trying to get him to dance. When the fire finally began to burn low, Lance and Keith were sprawled across the blanket, staring up at the stars. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They seem so far away, but we’ve been so much further,” Lance mumbled, scooting closer to Keith and laying his head on the other boy's chest. Keith tucked one hand gently into his hair without really thinking about it, holding the slender man against him softly. He was almost asleep when Lance poked him in the side aggressively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“C’mon. Bed.” Lance rolled over and got to his feet with significantly more grace than Keith managed, and they wandered lazily back to the house. Keith dragged himself up the steps and into his bed, curling the sheets around him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m really glad you’re here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mm. Me too.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith was almost asleep when he heard Lance whisper, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish you’d stay.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know how to respond, but he knew that Lance had heard his breath hitch. The other boy didn’t say anything either, just shifted beneath his blankets. Keith held his breath until Lance’s breathing slowed and deepened; only once he was sure Lance was asleep did he relax. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Stupid, Annoying, and From Earth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>f i n a l l y   q u i z n a k</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lance was dreaming.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He looked around the sparse room, decorated with several chairs, a table, various bindings and countless torture devices. Keith was sitting in a chair in the center, his hands chained in front of him and his ankles bound. They had removed the black pants and shirt he had been wearing in the arena, leaving him in a pair of grey shorts that resembled his under-armour jumpsuit. He was thinner than usual, but had built bulk muscle where there hadn’t been before- had new scars where there weren’t any before. He looked exhausted, and malnourished, but he was alive. Lance noticed a sharp looking knife on the wall, and picked it up, planning to cut the chains that bound Keith with it. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hello, paladin,” Lance whispered, finally allowing himself to study Keith's face. His hair was wild, but someone had pulled it into a loose braid before leaving him in the room. He had a gash through his right eyebrow and a split lip. His cheekbones were knifesharp under his skin, his right eye was bruised and swollen, and his body was covered in bruises and cuts at various states of healing. Most were fairly fresh- probably from the previous night or two days before. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Are you frightened?” Lance asked. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“There is nothing you can do to me that they have not already done,” Keith spat, and Lance’s eyes filled despite his best efforts not to let them.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I wouldn’t bet on that,” Lance said, walking forward, lifting the knife to cut Keith free. Suddenly, Keith was on his feet, wrapping his chained wrists around Lance’s neck and wincing as the knife cut into his back. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Keith!” Lance yelped. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Don’t call me that,” Keith growled, forcing Lance’s head to the floor and smiling when he heard the crack of the slender boy’s skull against the stone. He had the knife in his hand in seconds. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Now tell me what the fuck you did to Lance.” The tip of his knife was resting against Lance’s throat. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I am Lance! It’s me, Keith it’s me!” Lance tried to yell, but no words would come out. Suddenly the room was filled with Galra, guns drawn, faces gleefully murderous. And then Keith was just screaming, and screaming, and screaming and</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith was remembering.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He was laying on his back. His armour and jumpsuit were gone, and he was staring at the ceiling deliberately, trying to ignore anything that was happening below his ribcage. The ceiling was pretty plain, but if he concentrated, he could see the seams in the metal. He wondered if he could trace them back to his friends. He was so completely distracted that he almost didn’t hear the Galran scientist speak. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re not enjoying this very much, darling.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Keith shuddered, keeping his eyes on the ceiling. His vision was suddenly obscured by a gleam of white fangs and sharp purple ears. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Look at me, baby,” a clawed hand tilted his chin down so he was staring down the line of the Galra’s spine. He was fully clothed, muttering into Keith’s ear. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Is this why they keep you around, on Voltron? I know you’re a talented pilot, but, sweetheart, there are plenty of talented pilots that aren’t half Galra around. There must be another reason.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Keith stayed silent. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Answer me, you fucking whore,” The scientist said, but there was no heat in his voice. This was mechanical for him, simple, something he’d probably done before and would do again. He would know, now, once they were done with Keith, that this could break even the most stoic prisoners. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Keith gritted out, flinching away from the needle the scientist had positioned above his arm. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Good, baby. Good, use your words, tell me what you feel.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>And suddenly Keith felt everything. He couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, just closed his eyes and let the tears come, wishing with every ounce of himself for this to be over. The pet names kept spilling into his ear, and the needle pressed liquid fire into his veins. Keith started screaming, and screaming, and screaming, and</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance jolted awake to see Keith thrashing in his bed, covers flung to the floor, arms and legs stiff and back arched. His head was thrown back and his eyes were wide, but he was screaming at the ceiling. Lance had never heard such a terrible sound- especially not from Keith. He wiped the tears out of his eyes and sprang out of his bed, leaping over to the older boy and kneeling beside him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith, Keith, bud, it’s me, I’m here. You’re safe, you’re going to be ok-” Lance begged, clasping his hands to avoid touching the writhing boy on the bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith!” Lance was starting to panic- he’d seen plenty of Keith’s panic attacks by now, but none of them had ever caused him to scream like this. Whimper, groan, yelp, yes, but screaming? Never. And it had never taken him this long to wake up, either; normally once his eyes were open he was ok. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith, please… cariño, please wake up. You have to come back to me, please,” Lance begged. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith stopped screaming. Keith stopped breathing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith! Fuck, please, please wake up!” Lance pleaded, finally touching the other boy to tilt his head up and press his abdomen down so that his back wasn’t arching painfully. His tee-shirt was soaked with sweat and he was shaking violently though he was almost burning up. After a moment, Keith gasped, and Lance let out a shaky sob before wiping his eyes swiftly and continuing his gentle talking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mi amado, Keith, fuck. Please. You can’t leave me-” Lance trailed off briefly, unsure on how he was planning on finishing his sentence, “You just. Can’t leave me. Come back, cariño, you’re safe. You’re safe.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>I love you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Lance was going to say it. He needed to- wasn’t sure what else to say. He stared down at Keith’s unseeing eyes and tight jaw, and then Keith blinked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance let out a flurry of expletives that would have gotten him banned from his parents house for life, and grabbed Keith’s wrists. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Keith was breathing unevenly, but he was blinking, and looking around the room blearily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance?” He croaked, voice a husk in his chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m here, bud.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith shook his prosthetic hand loose and wrapped it around the back of his neck, holding him still. Lance fought the urge to close his eyes as he was confronted with Keith’s pale face, wet with tears. He stayed still as Keith ran his other hand over his shoulder and along his neck, up to his cheek. Checking to make sure he was really there. He only moved after Keith pulled him forward and into his mouth, tongue brushing Lance’s bottom lip and nose pressing into Lance’s cheek as he kissed him, achingly slow. Lance moved his hands to Keith’s chest, curling them gently into the long hair at the back of his neck. He held on as Keith’s mouth opened and pulled at him, greedily kissing him as though he was going to consume him the way fire licks and devours paper- or gravity pulls apart planets; destructive, inescapable, irreversible. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith pulled away first, letting Lance go completely, and Lance fell back a little, not anticipating the complete loss of contact. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry-” Keith gasped, covering his mouth with his own hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Lance gulped, staring at his friend. Keith’s cheeks were pink now, still a little blotchy, but his eyes were bright and glittering and Lance was </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> utterly and completely </span>
  <em>
    <span>gone</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re my best friend, and I don’t want things to be weird between us… And I didn’t even ask and now- I’m so sorry! I’ve probably ruined everything,” Keith blurted, fear creeping back into his expression.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>Lance leaned forward and pressed his lips to Keith’s again, chastely, fleetingly, hoping it would be enough of an explanation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you- what are- did you mean that?” Keith asked, haltingly, eyes narrowing as he sat  up to stare down at Lance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did. You. Mean. It?” Keith’s gaze was burning now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did I mean to kiss you?” Lance asked, quietly, resisting the urge to fuss with his hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you mean to kiss </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Keith asked, eyes narrowed, jaw set. “Or are you just trying to make me feel better?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! Keith, why would you even think that?” Lance cried, hurt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith shook his head incredulously, “Because… You’re not even- are you even gay? Because I’m not holding your hand through your poorly timed sexual awakening just for you to drop me when you finally figure everything out. I’m not your charity case, Lance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m bi! I’ve known since I was like, eleven.” Lance replied, looking back to Keith’s face, which had softened slightly.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.” Keith turned his head, and Lance only just stopped himself from grabbing his shoulder and pulling him into his arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith. I kissed you because- well because you kissed me. But I kissed you back because I… I like you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith slowly turned back to Lance, settling his grey eyes heavily on the Cuban boy’s face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I like you.” Lance shrugged, “The annoying, stupid, Earth version of you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith choked out a startled laugh, and Lance grinned, tucking a strand of black hair behind the other man’s ear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I’d really like to kiss you again,” Lance continued, just to see the flush crawling into Keith’s cheeks. “Just, next time,” Lance said, letting his voice go soft as he pressed his hand against Keith’s cheek. “Next time, you should at least warn me, first,” Lance was practically purring, cupping Keith’s face in his hands.   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Next time?” Keith replied, slowly, settling his hands on Lance’s hips and running his thumbs over the bare skin above his hip bones. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance nodded, shivering a little from the contact. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then, I’m going to kiss you, Lance, before you can say anything stupid,” Keith told him, and Lance just nodded, a grin pulling at his lips for a split second before Keith pressed his mouth to Lance’s. Lance felt weirdly -just for a moment- like he might start crying, but he’d had enough of both of them weeping lately, and Keith was being so, so gentle, and Lance wanted </span>
  <em>
    <span>more</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opened his mouth, swiped his tongue along Keith's bottom lip and then bit- gently, but it still elicited a wonderful response from Keith. He slid one hand down the line of Lance’s spine to his lower back, wrapped the other around the back of his head, and pulled Lance onto his chest, before flipping them over with surprising dexterity, so that Lance was pinned between him and the mattress. Lance moaned, and blushed when Keith pulled away to grin at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Lance,” Keith asked, between pressing kisses along the line of Lance’s throat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Keith.” Lance replied, trying and failing not to gasp the word. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Can I ask you something that might piss you off?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I- sure?” Lance squirmed as Keith’s mouth reached the soft spot above his collarbone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Is this the first time you’ve done this? With a boy, I mean?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>Lance laughed, running his fingers through Keith's long hair. “Is it that obvious?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Kind of,” Keith answered, his nose brushing Lance’s ear, “but in a good way.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“How is there a good way to be totally inexperienced?” Lance grumbled, blushing furiously. “I’ve kissed, like, three people, and you-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Lance, it’s good because it means that it </span>
  <em>
    <span>means</span>
  </em>
  <span> something for you.” Keith pulled back, leaving one hand on Lance’s hip and propping himself up on his other elbow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Yeah, I guess.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“I’ve only kissed four people, before now,” Keith admitted, and Lance trailed his thumb over his swollen bottom lip.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“It’s different. When I say kissed I mean </span>
  <em>
    <span>kissed</span>
  </em>
  <span>. When you say kissed you mean…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Slept with?” Keith shook his head. “Lance it doesn’t matter- and I didn’t sleep with all of them, Quiznak, who do you think I am?” Keith was laughing, but Lance stayed solemn. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does it- does </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> matter?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Fuck, Lance, what do you think?” Keith was suddenly furiously red, and Lance grinned triumphantly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think it must, or you would have just had your way with me at the beach and sped away on your motorbike before I could ask for more,” Lance murmured, running his thumbs over Keith’s cheekbones. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“You mean a lot to me,” Keith mumbled, so quiet that Lance almost didn’t hear it, even with their noses centimeters apart. “I like you. The stupid, annoying, Earth version of you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“Yeah, me too, Mullet,” Lance replied, jokingly, and Keith laughed, the sound of it rumbling through Lance where they were pressed together. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
  <span>“That’s no way to treat my gracious host, anyways.” Keith ran his free hand up the length of Lance’s bare torso, grinning as Lance shivered under him. Keith sat up on Lance’s hips, pulling his sweaty shirt up over his head and tossing it in the general direction of the hamper.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck, quierdo,” Lance groaned, blushing furiously as Keith continued to smile at him wickedly. He reached up, running his hands over every part of Keith’s torso that he could reach. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith smiled down at him, brushing his bangs off his forehead and placing a kiss there before wrapping Lance’s arms around his neck and resting his weight on top of him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re so…” Lance grinned, tangling his fingers in Keith’s hair again, tracing the spot on Keith’s back where he knew his own profile was etched in a delicate blue line. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So…?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Beautiful. You’re beautiful,” Lance said, giggling as Keith buried his face in Lance’s neck. “Aw, Keith! Are you emba-” his words cut off to a gasp as Keith’s sharp teeth grazed against his throat. “Cariño,” Lance whimpered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith hummed against his throat, trailing his hand down Lance’s side and onto his thigh, tucking his thumb under the leg of his boxers and brushing it over the soft skin there. After kissing Lance until he thought he might melt right through the floorboards and drip into the downstairs, Keith rolled off him, landing on Lance’s left side and pressing featherlight kisses to his shoulder before murmuring,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You should roll that way,” nudging Lance to roll to his right. Lance hesitated, looking over at Keith, who propped himself up on his elbow, concern spreading over his face and he realized what Lance had been thinking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey- sorry- did you think-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No- I mean, yes,” Lance stammered, “But it’s fine, Keith, really. As long as you’re- y’know. Ok. I trust you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.” Keith shook his head, furrowing his brow at Lance, “Lance, when- </span>
  <em>
    <span>if-</span>
  </em>
  <span> we decide we’re going to have sex, </span>
  <em>
    <span>we’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to decide. Together. Also, we’re going to need to talk about it, first, because… well. We’re going to talk about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance grinned devilishly at Keith, “I love dirty talk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith rolled his eyes, “I’m trying to have a serious conversation with you, Lance.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, ok. So let’s talk.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now?” Keith bit his lip nervously, and Lance couldn’t resist the urge to lean forward and mirror the action, pulling Keith’s swollen bottom lip between his teeth and biting gently before kissing the dark haired boy thoroughly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not?” He asked when they pulled away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith looked momentarily confused.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We should go through what’s... ok and what’s not,” Lance reminded him carefully, grabbing Keith’s hand and pressing the knuckles to his lips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right. Yeah…” Keith murmured, closing his eyes. “It’s- we don’t have to go through everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not if you don’t want to. But maybe we should, even if- even if it’s not going to be relevant for a long time. I should know, just in case.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok,” Keith sighed again, and opened his eyes, staring at Lance intently. “First, you can’t call me ‘baby’, ‘pet’, ‘darling’, ‘sweetheart’, or anything on the derogatory scale except maybe ‘slut’- that one's a hit or miss.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance bit his lip, trying not to imagine how Keith and Griffin had figured that one out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kissing is fine everywhere. So are hands, but you have to warn me somehow before you- uh- well. Just go slow at first until I learn your movement patterns.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t grab your dick without a warning, got it,” Lance nodded, grinning. Keith groaned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I signed up for this. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>literally</span>
  </em>
  <span> signed up for this!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance’s wicked grin widened, “Is that it?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith shook his head, “choking is fine, just not from behind- Lance? You ok?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance spluttered, trying to cover up his exclamation of ‘holy shit’ with a cough which turned into a choke. “I just… didn’t take you for the type to- well, actually, yeah, I see it…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut up!” Keith blushed, leaning forwards to rest his forehead in the crook of Lances neck. “Don’t slap me-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck, Keith, no kidding!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, well, I don’t know what you’re into!” Keith protested, lifting his head to shoot a playful glare at Lance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Neither do I!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh… right. Ok well in that case… I’m fine to bottom, but if you’re going to have me on my stomach you’ll need to tell me before you flip me over… hair pulling is fine but don’t restrain my arms when I’m on my front.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance blinked at him a few times, processing. “You uh… really did your research.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… it… yeah,” Keith said, eyes shifting uncomfortably. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok.” Lance reached out and wrapped his arm around Keith’s waist, pulling him closer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Lance mumbled, and Keith slung his leg over his hips, rolling him onto his back and flickering his tongue against Lance’s throat. Lance groaned, catching hold of Keiths hair and pulling his lips to Lance’s. Keith smiled against his mouth and Lance </span>
  <em>
    <span>melted</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Waking up in Keith’s arms and not having to move was kind of unbelievable. Lance smiled serenely down at Keith, whose lips were slightly parted and blowing morning breath into Lance’s face. It was gross. It was so, so gross, and Lance was so unbearably happy. Lance snuck out of the bed carefully to brush his own teeth, and when he crawled back in Keith grabbed his hips and pulled him flush against him, running his hands under Lance’s shirt over the lines of his chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Morning,” Lance murmured. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ugh. Do we have to get up,” Keith mumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll text my dad and tell him they’re on their own today cause we’re too hungover,” Lance giggled, brushing his lips over Keith's eyebrow lazily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank Quiznak. Ugh you asshole. Now I have to go brush my teeth,” Keith groaned, extracting himself from the bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Be quick,” Lance grumbled, curling into the warm spot left by Keith's body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Say please.” Keith turned around, grinning at him wickedly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith!” Lance groaned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll give you a free pass for today,” Keith replied, disappearing down the stairs. Lance cuddled deeper into Keith's bedsheets and sighed. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Tomatos and Salsa and Disasterous Gays</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well you're here so I really can't say much for your intelligence but I'm the one who wrote all this so at least you're not me.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The McClain family was something of an institution within their community. Every evening as soon as planting season was over, and well into harvest season, there was at least one guest at their dinner table, as well as the whole family. There was nothing Freddy McClain loved more than to open a bottle of wine or rum with a neighbour or tourist and keep the alcohol, weed and conversation flowing. They would eat outside at the long table on the back porch, which -one memorable evening- had sat thirty-five people. They would play music in warm major tones, and Freddy would sit at the head of the table and regale their guests with stories and anecdotes. They would retire into the back garden for dessert, maybe switch up the vintage on the wine or the rum, indulge in fresh fruit from the orchard or another joint. Freddy would say, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Running a farm isn’t about planting and picking, or milking and butchering. It’s about everything in between- it’s about pruning and weeding and watering and feeding and shoveling shit. It’s not about working from sun-up to sun-down, you know? It’s about working until the job is done.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The first five days that Keith and Lance spent in the house, Lance’s parents turned away any guests that came to the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’ve never done that before- even when all us kids had heat stroke at once one year. They sent us out to sit in the creek with soup and big water jugs!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That must have been exhausting,” Keith sighed as they made their way to the house for dinner. Freddy’s laugh boomed over the yard and Lance chuckled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! It’s fun- you’ll see. And that’s papa’s ‘company laugh’ so it sounds like they couldn’t keep them away anymore.” Lance led Keith around to the back deck, where a couple from a few properties down were sitting with Freddy and the kids, speaking in fast Spanish and laughing boisterously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>&lt;&lt;Lance! My god, you’ve grown! Come give us a hug!&gt;&gt; Amira cried, getting up from her chair and crushing Lance into a hug. &lt;&lt;And is this your boyfriend?&gt;&gt;</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello Amira! This is Keith, he was… He’s also a paladin of Voltron. We’ve come for a much needed vacation,” Lance said, pulling a stiffly uncomfortable Keith forward to shake Amira’s hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance, darling! You look so well!” Constance trilled, pulling Lance into her arms and grinning at Rosalda, who was carrying trays of food out of the kitchen. “You must be so proud!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And so glad to have him home,” Rosalda told her, patting Lance’s shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith! So lovely to meet you! Where are you from?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith shook hands awkwardly and allowed himself to be ushered into a seat beside Lance at the end of the table. “Texas, ma’m.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, American! Is this your first time in Cuba?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is, actually,” Keith replied, accepting a glass of wine from Marco and a plate of food from Rosalda and looking generally overwhelmed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And how do you like it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wish I never had to leave,” Keith admitted, smiling slightly at Lance beside him. Something tugged sharply in Lance’s chest, and he rested his hand on Keith’s knee. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And what is it you do?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith frowned, and Lance held back a chuckle, knowing that it would be nearly impossible for Keith to explain his work without making it sound terribly dangerous and unbelievably shady. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith is working for a relief organization to help liberate the remaining communities under occupation from the war and rehabilitate refugees,” Lance jumped in, saving the dark haired boy from having to say anything. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What a noble cause,” Amira smiled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith shifted uncomfortably, and Lance almost took pity on him again, but before he could, Keith lifted his gaze and rested his forearm on the table, gently swirling the wine in his glass and asking, “What about yourself, Ma’m, what do you do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m an artist,” Amira said, leaning back, and Lance grinned, knowing exactly what was going to come out of her mouth next. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am a painter, a poet, a mediocre musician, a drinker of much wine and a taker of many baths, but first and foremost, I am a dancer.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well that’s a lot of good things to be,” Keith replied, and Lance stared at him in surprise. The conversation flowed easily over the course of the evening, Amira and Keith delving into a long conversation about the history of queerness in literature and art (which shocked Lance; who knew </span>
  <em>
    <span>Keith</span>
  </em>
  <span> knew anything about the likes of Kahlo and Whitman?) while Freddy and Constance debated the best ways to get rid of tomato blight and bombarded Lance with questions about agriculture in space. They wandered into the garden, passing a joint around while the kids played in the creek and a merry fire crackled in the fire pit. Amira hauled Constance onto a clear patch of grass and into a salsa, which Constance clumsily stepped through for a song until Rosalda cut in. Luis and Lisa joined them, swaying somewhat inelegantly in the grass, and Marco and Laurel soon followed. Rachel dragged her father out to dance with her, giggling at his clumsy footwork while Constance pulled Rosalda away to open a bottle of rum and talk about helping each other with the harvest. Partnerless, Amira danced over to Keith and Lance, who were sitting shoulder to shoulder on a bench by the fire, finishing their wine and passing the remains of the joint back and forth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance, care to dance?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance snuck a look at Keith, who nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, why don’t you ask Keith, he should learn, anyways.” Lance told her, and she grinned at the mischievous expression on his face and hauled Keith into the circle of light they were treating as a dance floor. Keith was predictably clumsy, but as Amira turned him around, he winked at Lance and began to move a lot more naturally. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you learned before?” Amira seemed surprised. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Once,” Keith said, following the basic steps of her salsa, “I’m a quick study for movement stuff.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Amira went through a few more beginner steps -a right hand turn, a left turn, a Suzie-Q- which had Keith tripping over his own feet for a minute and Lance in stitches laughing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance is a great dancer- make him practice with you. I’m going to get some of that rum Freddy is </span>
  <em>
    <span>drinking without me</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Amira grinned, pointedly calling out to Freddy and Constance, who laughed and gestured her over. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance is a great dancer, huh?” Keith asked, making his way over to sit beside Lance again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not so fast-” Lance leapt up, refusing to back down from a challenge and more enamoured than he’d like to admit with the idea of dancing with Keith. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> a great dancer, and I’m about to prove it.” Lance took Keith's hand and led him back towards the now trampled circle of grass, where Freddy and Rosalda had joined their children and were swaying gently to the music, leaving Rachel to entertain their guests. He tucked his shoulders back and pulled his abs tight as Amira had taught him, letting his hips sway a little as he backed into the light, pulling Keith by the hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Salsa is all about rhythm,” Lance explained, pulling Keith into his arms and leading him into a basic step, “And moving from your waist and hips,” He pressed his hand firmly against Keith’s waist, guiding his movement. Keith looked a bit shell-shocked, his pupils blown wide and his jaw slightly slack. Lance revelled in the attention- the </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and guided Keith into a right hand turn, impressed when he found the other boy back in sync with his basic step on the one. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How did you learn to do this?” Keith asked, eyes travelling down Lance’s body to his feet and back up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Amira taught me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I tell you a secret?” Lance asked, leaning close to Keith, who inhaled sharply before whispering </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not just a great salsa partner-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance,” Keith said warningly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no, it’s not an innuendo- I… I wanted to be a dancer. When I was little. Amira teaches contemporary, and I learned ballet, too. I was really good at it.” Lance was staring down at Keith’s collarbone, watching the movement of his shoulder under his (stolen) blue flannel shirt. He felt too shy to look up and see Keith’s reaction, but the way the older boy tugged him just a little closer and exhaled softly told him enough. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve always thought you looked like you could be a dancer,” Keith mused. Lance looked up then, to find Keith’s eyes smiling at him, turned molten and gold in the firelight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, it’s too late for that now, but at least I can partner your clumsy ass,” Lance teased, and Keith snorted, ducking his head close to Lance’s shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey! I’m fucking elegant as shit, Lance,” Keith replied, voice low and scratchy. They danced for a little longer, and sat down to have some rum with Constance and Amira before they left. Keith let them hug him on their way out, smiling peacefully as they waved them out of the drive. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quiznak, I’m tired,” Lance mumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me too,” Keith yawned. Luis and Lisa, and Marcus and Laurel had all headed home a few hours prior, carrying their sleeping children in their arms, and Keith and Lance had carried Constance and Amira’s little boy to their vehicle before returning to the fire. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Time for us old folks to head it,” Rosalda said as Freddy tucked some more wood onto the fire. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Us too, I think,” Lance replied, kissing his mother goodnight and squeezing his father’s shoulder as he and Keith walked past. They made their way slowly through the fields, and Lance was surprised when Keith reached out and took his hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance,” he said, tugging the taller boy to a stop and turning him to face him. He was iridescent silver in the moonlight, biting his lip nervously. He was staring at Lance with shy wonder, tracing the lines of him with his gaze; Lance shivered under the scrutiny.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith laughed. “I forgot what I wanted to say.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance giggled too, turning to continue walking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re beautiful,” Keith murmured, and Lance froze, turning back around to stare at the grey-eyed man in amazement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you’re crossed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I mean it,” Keith insisted, and Lance couldn’t stop himself from tugging him into his arms and kissing him soundly, wrapping his hands around Keith’s thighs and pulling his legs around Lance’s waist. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>doing</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Keith whined.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Taking you to bed,” Lance replied, relishing the way Keith stiffened in his arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m joking, papi chulo,” Lance teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith snorted, “Sorry, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s like… ladies man but vulgar? Pimp daddy?” Lance was laughing too, trying not to drop Keith before they reached the house. They were nearly at the door now, and despite Keith squirming as he giggled, Lance refused to put him down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith let out a near shout of laughter, “You may </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> call me that- Quiznak, Lance!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quierdo,” Lance whispered, opening the door with one hand and stumbling in under Keith’s weight. He still managed not to put him down, and in their mutual drunken state, Lance considered that quite an accomplishment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mi leon, mi corazón, querino, amada mio…” Lance started towards the stairs but decided against trying to climb them while holding onto Keith, instead, pressing him between Lance and the wall and tucking biting kisses into the crook of his neck. There was something so heady about this- about the feeling of Keith squirming against him, with no control over their movement and no leverage to gain it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance-” Keith said warningly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you ok?” Lance asked, pulling his head away and letting Keith’s feet down onto the floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine- I’m great actually.” Keith smirked, and Lance melted, letting the older man tug him up the stairs and into the loft, watching as he pulled off his (Lance’s) flannel and tee-shirt. He stood still, letting Keith come to him, shuddering as pale hands crept under his shirt and onto his chest, one rough with callouses, the other cool and smooth. He grabbed Keith’s wrists, holding him in place, and kissed his forehead before letting go and yanking his shirt over his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pants too,” Keith ordered nonchalantly, and Lance shivered, pulling his jeans off while Keith searched through his pile of clothes for his shorts. Lance stood in the middle of the room as Keith brushed by, waiting in mild confusion and anticipation for the other boy to return from downstairs. When Keith came back, he was wearing his grey shorts and carrying two glasses of water, both of which he placed on the table between their mattresses. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come here,” Keith whispered, flopping onto his bed. Lance eagerly crawled on top of him, slotting his leg between Keith’s and pushing their lips together again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me if I- If I do something, ok?”      </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Keith hummed in agreement, threading his fingers through Lance’s hair and pressing his hips up slightly. Lance almost whimpered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cariño-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith’s hands trailing down his back, over his ass and onto his legs, Keith’s mouth on his throat, pulling whines and groans from his lips, Keith’s sharp hips canting achingly slow against his own. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have to wait- till the morning,” Lance breathed after a few more minutes of hands and mouths and skin, “When we’re not both drunk. We have to talk about this-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” Keith whispered, pushing Lance’s shoulder and rolling him off of him and onto his side on the bed. “Go to sleep then, beautiful. Any more of this and I won’t be able to wait.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance groaned, pressing his face into the pillow as Keith curled himself over his back and tucked his arm around his waist, resting his hand on Lance’s chest. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance woke up slow and lovely, fingers tangled in Keith’s long hair, the other boy splayed across his chest, tracing the line of his hips with feather light touches and absently kissing his neck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Keith murmured, voice sleep soft. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What time is it?” Lance asked, sighing under Keith’s ministrations. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seven. I already helped Luis and Freddy with the animals. Told them you were hungover and we were going to have a chill day today,” Keith answered. Lance bit back the</span>
  <em>
    <span> I love you</span>
  </em>
  <span> on his tongue, opting to just squeeze Keith tightly in his arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith hummed softly, the sound rippling through Lance were it started from Keith’s lips attached to his throat. He’d been so gentle that Lance let out a small yelp when he felt teeth graze his skin. Keith smiled, biting properly and laughing silently when Lance shuddered. Keith was moving down his chest now, kissing and biting and his tongue flickering over Lance’s skin was pulling something out of Lance’s chest and into his throat. When Keith stopped at his hips and nonchalantly pulled off his boxers, Lance inhaled sharply, pulling on Keith’s hair with the hand he already had tangled in it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?” Keith asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing I just… wanted to make sure that you’re not just… doing this because you feel like you have to?” Lance explained weakly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith laughed, “Believe me, I want to. You don’t have to worry, Lance, I trust you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t like Lance hadn’t done this before. It shouldn’t have affected him as strongly as it did to look down and see Keith stretched out between his legs, eyes cloudy and movements confident and easy. Lance was carding his fingers through Keith’s hair, murmuring desperately in a mix of english and spanish, and the other boy was holding him down with one hand on his hip and Lance was unraveling under him </span>
  <em>
    <span>far</span>
  </em>
  <span> too soon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith,” Lance would have blushed at the whine in his voice if he wasn’t red all over already, but Keith had already pulled himself level with Lance’s head again and was running a hand through his hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance,” Keith replied, flicking the tip of his tongue over the end of Lance’s nose. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Gross!” Lance giggled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You ok?” Keith asked, sitting up and looking down at Lance, who was staring unabashedly at the bare expanse of his torso. Keith was lit up in thin stripes of white-gold light filtering through the blinds, and Lance wanted to see every inch of his skin lit up like that. It made him look carved- or painted- by someone with soft hands, and penchant for branchlike patterns of scar tissue and large splashes of tattoos. Lance rolled out of bed, suddenly aware of his own nakedness and Keith's eyes on him. He refused to be shy, though. Keith had proven to be the last person he should be shy in front of. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pulled the blinds up and let the morning light flood the room; when he turned to look back and Keith, the older man had leaned back against the headboard, stretching out muscular legs over the top of the sheets. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck,” Lance breathed, and Keith arched an eyebrow at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Says you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance giggled, turning around and wiggling his hips playfully. Keith laughed and reached for him, but Lance dodged out of the way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance,” Keith said warningly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Lance fluttered his eyelashes in false innocence, wrapping his hands around Keith’s calves and pressing into the tight muscles with his thumbs.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop that, come here,” Keith said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance. Get back here, now,” Keith’s tone dropped into one that had once annoyed Lance- had made him think Keith was trying to undermine his authority. Now, though, with Keith’s legs stretched out long in front of him and Keith’s eyes burning his skin, it prompted a small gasp. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bossy.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think you like it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… I don’t hate it,” Lance admitted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith laughed, sitting up and bending his knees so he could reach Lance’s shoulders and tug him forwards to rest between his legs, torsos lined up. Lance deliberately hovered himself above Keith’s body, not wanting the other boy to feel trapped in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re shyer than you make yourself out to be,” Keith murmured, hooking his finger under Lance’s chin and guiding him up so that he could press a kiss behind his ear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not shy, I just… I don’t want to do something that’ll make you feel… unsafe.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith pulled Lance down firmly, rubbing his hands over Lance’s back. “Why do you think I like you, Sharpshooter? Nothing bad could happen with you around,” his tone was teasing, but Lance still had to bury his head in his chest to hide the overwhelming wave of emotion that he felt following the statement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re sweeter than you make yourself out to be,” Lance mumbled into Keith's warm skin. Keith hummed softly, carefully kneading the knots out of Lance’s back muscles. When Lance finally lifted his head to look up at Keith, the dark haired boy grinned, rolling them over and pressing Lance’s wrists into the sheets above his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just confirming you remember our conversation from last night?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance nodded, staring up at Keith, who was looking at him as if he might swallow him whole (though, in a sense, he’d done that already). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me know if you’re not ok with anything,” Keith told him, leaning forwards and biting the spot where his shoulder met his neck. Lance squirmed under him as Keith slipped a hand down his torso and over the crest of his hip. Keith’s hands fluttered over Lance’s body as easily as if he’d been doing this for years- as if </span>
  <em>
    <span>they’d</span>
  </em>
  <span> been doing this for years. He seemed to know everything about how to touch Lance already, which was intimidating, but Lance was too blissed out to worry about it all that much. Keith pretty much took charge, guiding Lance’s own hands firmly, but sweetly- more sweetly than Lance could have imagined him being. When Keith rolled him onto his back and settled onto him, holding him still with a hand on his chest and the weight of his hips as he adjusted, Lance forgot to breathe. Keith looked so </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span>, sitting above him like that- like every erotic fantasy he didn’t know he’d had. Lance almost didn’t want him to move. And then he started to move and that was probably the most intense combination of perception Lance had ever experienced, and he wished he could take a photo of Keith like this: with the sunlight dancing over his skin and his pale hips narrow and pretty under Lance’s hands, dark hair coming loose from it’s ponytail and floating around his face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith can I-” Lance whimpered, and Keith just smiled down at him, nodding. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever you want, darlin’.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance giggled as he flipped them over, pressing his hands into Keith’s thighs and pressing them further apart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You sound so southern during sex,” he teased, and Keith laughed, too, pulling his head down for a sloppy kiss. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s adorable,” Lance said, slowing his pace slightly just to see Keith squirming and panting under him. “You’re adorable- You’re gorgeous, actually. Not adorable. You’ve almost punched me out one too many times in training for me to think you’re adorable, but Quiznak, Keith, you’re fucking pretty like this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Too much talking, not enough </span>
  <em>
    <span>doing</span>
  </em>
  <span>, McClain,” he retorted, and if there was one thing Lance didn’t do, it was back down from a challenge. So he focused on Keith under him -on the motion of his hips and his hands- but he ran his mouth the whole time. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were picking the tomatoes that afternoon when Keith almost said it. He was throwing little pebbles at Lance between pulling ripe tomatoes from the vines, and Lance kept frowning at him so adorably, sunlight glancing off his scared cheekbones. Keith suddenly felt the urge to kiss his cheeks- to cover the scars that were only now fading- and he could, now, so he lunged forwards and cupped Lance’s chin in his hand, pressing his lips gently to each ‘x’ mark. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sap,” Lance murmured, shoving him away, but smiling shyly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dork,” Keith answered, grinning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They picked in silence for a few more minutes, and then Lance put his basket down and sat down in the soft dirt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I really miss her.” He dragged his fingers through his hair, staring at his sandals. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me, too,” Keith admitted, sitting beside him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But she was… sort of awful to you,” Lance said, guiltily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith shrugged, “Sometimes. But mostly she was our friend. Mostly she was just Allura with the space mice, an obsession with all things glittery, and a lot of love for the whole universe. Even me- I think. Even though she didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> to care, I know she did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance leaned over, resting his head on Keith’s shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I always regretted not trying to make you stay, you know. After Shiro came back… When you were gone… I really missed you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I missed you, too,” Keith said, wrapping his arm around Lance and tucking his hand into the curve of his waist. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I should have asked you to stay. I wanted to.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You did- after,” Keith told him, remembering. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”    </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “After everything with Shiro- when you bullied me into hugging you-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did not bully you!” Lance gasped, outraged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever,” Keith rolled his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. “I hugged you and you told me to ‘please stay’.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance pulled away, eyes wide, and bit his lip, blood rushing to his face. “Did I say that out loud?” He laughed nervously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It was sweet,” Keith replied, pulling Lance back under his arm and kissing his forehead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s embarrassing,” Lance mumbled. “But I’m glad I told you I guess. When I died, that was, like, the one thing I really regretted. That I never tried to-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait- when you what?” Keith growled, icy guilt building in his chest cavity.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I died- didn’t you know that?” Lance asked, voice small as Keith untangled himself and stood, glaring up at the younger boy. “It’s fine- obviously- we were trying to weld these plates together- it’s a long story- anyways, there was an explosion and I pushed Allura out of the way and got hit myself and I was… gone. But Allura healed me! I have no idea how… Are you ok?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When did this happen?” Keith snapped. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Where was I- tell me why I wasn’t there- I should have been there- why wasn’t I there?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were missing- in the abyss I guess,” Lance told him, biting his lip nervously and staring up at Keith in concern. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was gone, and you </span>
  <em>
    <span>died</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and you never fucking told me?” Keith spat, scratching the back of his neck furiously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey- stop- Keith it’s ok- I’m ok,” Lance said, standing up and reaching for Keith’s wrists. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not- I need- I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” Keith replied, whirling around and stalking out of the tomato patch, breaking into a jog towards the hills behind the ranch. Kosmo saw him go from where he was napping on the lawn with Nadia and took off after him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tio Keith where are you going?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just for a quick jog, Nads- don’t worry, Kosmo will be back to play soon!” Keith called, speeding up when he heard Lance yelling his name. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d made it fairly far up the path through the dry hillside when Lance caught up to him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Leave it, Lance, please,” Keith panted, turning away from Lance to hide the tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why are you so upset?” Lance demanded, breathing heavily behind Keith. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not- I just need to… process-” Keith broke off, voice cracking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because I should have been there! It should have been me, ok? That’s my job. I’m supposed to make sure you all make it out of shit alive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance growled and Keith watched a rock that the long limbed boy had presumably kicked bounce down the hillside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re so obsessive about that. It wasn’t your job then- you weren’t even part of Voltron.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was, though!” Keith exclaimed, “We just didn’t know it! Shiro was being controlled by Haggar or whatever, and I was the leader of Voltron and I just </span>
  <em>
    <span>left</span>
  </em>
  <span>! And you </span>
  <em>
    <span>died</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Lance, and I wasn’t there to stop it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not everything is your fucking fault!” Lance snapped. “And stop running away from me! Quiznak, Keith- Every time you don’t want to talk about something you leave! That’s why you left in the first place, isn't it? Because you didn’t want to talk about how wrong everything was? And after Allura died- whenever someone brought her up you’d leave the room-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> left you when you asked me not to!” Keith cried, whirling around angrily and regretting it instantly. Lance’s cheeks were flushed with anger, and tears were streaming down his face freely. He was stunning. It was Keith’s fault.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> stayed for you, Lance, always.” Keith mumbled, looking at his feet and bidding his own tears to creep back to where they came from. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“After the end of the war, when I was on Altea-” Lance broke off, sighing heavily. “Everyone just kept leaving. Pidge left with their family, and Romelle and Coran were so busy with the Alteans that it was like they were gone, too. And Ronnie left with Acxa and Hunk went with Shay and then you left with fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lotor</span>
  </em>
  <span>- and I was alone.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith looked up at Lance, who was staring at his feet and fiddling with the hem of his shirt like a lost child. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Lance.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just wish everyone would stop </span>
  <em>
    <span>leaving</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Lance snapped his head up and met Keith’s eyes with his own, clear and pretty and blueblueblue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, baby,” Keith murmured, reaching for him, pulling him in. “I won’t leave, I promise. That’s what got you killed in the first place. I never should have-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! That’s not what I was getting at!” Lance shoved his chest, pushing him away. “You needed to go! You needed to figure out who you are and I’m glad you went and found Krolia and everything!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then what-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know!” Lance dragged his hand through his hair frustratedly. “I just don’t want you to run away. It stresses me out.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith refrained from pointing out that Lance had done the same thing when Keith had told him about being raped by the Galra warlord. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok,” he said to Lance’s shins. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good. Ok.” Lance shuffled uncomfortably. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was it worth it?” Keith asked darkly, unable to let it go. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Dying</span>
  </em>
  <span> for her? Was it worth it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Lance gasped, taking a step back. “Keith- of course not- but it’s ok now- it’s not like I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying</span>
  </em>
  <span> to-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith scoffed, “Right. Ok, fine. But if you ever decide it’s a good idea to fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>die</span>
  </em>
  <span> for someone, just be aware that I am going to become Altean, learn Alchemy, and bring you back from the dead just so I can murder you myself!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance choked out a laugh, “Keith-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m serious about this, Lance,” Keith snarled, anger bubbling in his gut. It was a familiar feeling, but it had been awhile since he’d felt this kind of fearful rage. “If you’re hiding some kind of suicide wish under that hero complex you’d better own up right now. It’s bad enough you’ve been </span>
  <em>
    <span>slicing</span>
  </em>
  <span> your own </span>
  <em>
    <span>face</span>
  </em>
  <span> open- Fuck. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Lance- you need to talk to someone! Quiznaking- We’ve been through hell and back and you haven’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>talked</span>
  </em>
  <span> to anyone about it yet- or at least not since the anniversary!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance glared at him, eyes going from mediteranian turquoise to blue steel in seconds. “Shut the fuck up, Keith.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Keith stepped forwards, still furious, fists clenched. “You don’t want me to care? You don’t want me to be worried?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t lecture me about going to see someone because of a fucking suicide wish and a hero complex, Keith. Remember Naxzela? ‘Cause I do.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith’s breath caught in his throat, “You heard that?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Lance was standing up straight now, looming over Keith, “And I never got a chance to ream you out for it until now, so since we’re shaming each other-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not trying to-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut </span>
  <em>
    <span>up</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Keith! So what the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span> was that? You were seriously just going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>kill</span>
  </em>
  <span> yourself? You didn’t think we’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>care</span>
  </em>
  <span>- you didn’t think we </span>
  <em>
    <span>needed</span>
  </em>
  <span> you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You didn’t! Voltron-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck Voltron!” Lance exploded, and Keith tensed reflexively. “We needed our </span>
  <em>
    <span>friend-</span>
  </em>
  <span> we </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> our friend! You think Pidge would have managed to stay sane through losing you? You think Hunk and Matt wouldn’t have blamed themselves for the rest of time? What about me? What about your fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>brother</span>
  </em>
  <span>- we never would have been able to save him if you’d died that day!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance I-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.” Lance shook his head. “Say ‘I’m sorry’, and then </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe</span>
  </em>
  <span> I’ll consider apologizing as well. Maybe.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith snorted, “Lance. I’m sorry. But I stand by everything I said.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So do I,” Lance replied, pouting slightly, arms crossed over his chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t fucking do it again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine. But you have to promise not to leave- especially not… like that,” Lance was staring Keith down stubbornly, reminding him of Silvio insisting that Luis and Lisa let him stay up past his bedtime. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I promise, bud,” Keith sighed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, good. Because I- I can’t lose anyone else,” Lance mumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Quiznak, I love you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Keith gasped sharply, catching the words before he could say them. “Me neither,” he croaked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come back, please?” Lance reached for him tentatively, and Keith took his hand, letting him lead them down the trail. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance was drained. After spending a good part of yesterday crying and yelling at Keith, and most of today entertaining his parents’ friends and their children, he was ready for a good night's sleep. He took a long shower, scrubbing dirt out from under his nails and grass stains from being tossed around by Keith during their daily spar off of his knees. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keith you’re ruining my flawless legs,” Lance called to Keith, who was brushing his teeth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You mean leg, singular?” Keith joked through a mouthful of toothpaste. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck off!” Lance laughed, reveling in Keith’s nearness, his nonchalant cheerfulness, his </span>
  <em>
    <span>jokes</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be upstairs,” Keith told him, and Lance heard him leave the bathroom, open the front door and whistle for Kosmo, who was barking at the birds flying overhead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance took his time finishing up in the bathroom, walking up the stairs in a cloud of jasmine, lavender and bergamot (Quiznak he’d missed his fancy soap). Keith was stretched out on the bed, wearing Lance’s tee shirt and an unfairly short pair of shorts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You smell nice,” he mumbled, looking up from Kosmo, who was nudging his hand, begging for pats. The wolf retreated to the end of the bed when he saw Lance, who crawled gratefully into Keith’s warmth. Keith wrapped his arm around Lance’s shoulders, holding him against his chest as he slung his leg over Keith’s hips to settle between his thighs. Keith rested one hand on Lance’s ribs and Lance hummed happily as he began rubbing gentle circles into Lance’s skin, tracing the tattoo on his shoulder blade lazily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lance… I have to leave for a few days,” Keith said slowly after a few minutes of cuddling. Lance’s breath caught in his throat and he started to lift his head from where it was resting on Keith’s chest, but Keith kept a firm hand in his hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kolivan just contacted me, there's another fighting ring like the one you found me at in a galaxy less than a day from here. I’m going to take it down,” Keith said, trailing his fingers down the line of Lance’s jaw and neck onto his shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the fuck, Keith? Alone?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll meet three other Blades there. I’ll be gone six days at the most, and I’ll tell Kolivan to send you my coordinates if I’m not back in eight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance threw Keith’s hands off of him, sitting bolt upright, anger bubbling under his skin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith narrowed his eyes, scrambling to sit up against the headboard. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean, ‘no’? This is my </span>
  <em>
    <span>job</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Lance. I’m lucky he’s letting me stay in this area for the time being. He could be sending me on month-long trips across the galaxy right now, but he’s not; easy missions close to Earth only. That’s a good thing,” Keith insisted, reaching for Lance’s hand. Lance snatched it away, glaring.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the hell is wrong with you, Keith? What happens after this mission? Are you going on another one? Are you just going to keep leaving? You promised you’d stop leaving!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No- Lance! I’m sorry but I can’t- I’m doing everything I can to take a break right now- to be here with you,” Keith told him, frowning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But what if you don’t come back, Keith? Is that why you- Did you just want to wrap this up all nicely? Come home, meet my family, get them to love you, tell me you wanted to be with me, fuck me, and then leave and never come back?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> coming back! It’s just six days!” Keith insisted, hurt flashing across his eyes. “And that’s not what I-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not going! I won’t let you!” Lance interrupted loudly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith’s expression darkened, and he sat up straight, glaring at Lance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wasn’t aware that I needed </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> permission,” he said sharply. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance was still burning with anger, but a cool stab of guilt landed squarely between his ribs, seeping through his gut and forcing him to notice the undercurrent of concern in Keith’s expression. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry- I- I didn’t mean it like- I just- please don’t leave- I can’t- You promised you wouldn’t leave if I asked you not to. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>promised</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
  <em>
    <span> Don’t leave me alone again. I won’t live without you- I can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll come back, Lance,” Keith said, gently now. Lance couldn’t meet his eyes, focusing on the twisted scar on his shoulder instead. Keith snatched his wrists into his hands, rubbing circles into them with his thumbs.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not going to leave you,” he breathed, and Lance felt a sob break through his lips unexpectedly and embarrassingly. Keith immediately pulled him into his chest and wrapped his arms firmly around Lance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” Lance mumbled, struggling out of Keith’s grip and pressing his lips to the pale boy’s temple. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Baby… Don’t.” Keith’s eyes fluttered closed, dark lashes creating an elegant smudge against his cheeks, and Lance wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and never let him go. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t what? Apologize?” Lance asked, sitting beside Keith and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Keith mumbled, resting his head on Lance’s collarbone, breath dancing warmly over his chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t want to have to come get you again, ok?” Lance said into Keith’s hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You won’t have to. I promise.” Keith snuggled closer, and Lance almost burst. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. I'm Here, Bud</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>wow if you got this far I truly commend you! It was a serious slog I know... the slowest of burns, but I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I liked writing it! leave a comment, let me know what you thought! Thanks folks!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lance spent the first day of Keith’s absence in the dance studio that Amira owned. He’d taken yoga in the morning (something he hadn’t done since leaving the Garrison in Blue) and ended up spending the whole day in the small space, mostly watching, but eventually consenting to join a salsa class as a partner for Amira, and then staying for the contemporary class that was next. He spent the evening playing with Silvio and Nadia, exchanging pleasantries and stories of far off planets with his parents' dinner guests. His bed felt empty without the warm weight of Kosmo at his feet and Keith’s rib cage under his hands, but he was happy, maybe for the first time since the war ended. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled out his mother's old cookbooks from the discard cupboard in the guest house on the second day, cooking himself an extravagant breakfast and lunch after his morning run. He took his lunch on a picnic to the beach for the morning, and returned to the dance studio, taking every class Amira was offering that afternoon. His ballet was beyond shaky, but the students in the class (who were only a few years younger than he was, but felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> much younger) were welcoming; they laughed good-naturedly at his diminished turnout and poor foot flexibility, and marveled over the dexterity of his prosthetic limb. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should try pointe shoes,” one of the girls suggested, pulling her knee up to her chest and leaning forwards to crack her hip. “They would get your feet back to full strength in no time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But at what cost?” Lance joked, staring meaningfully down at her battered toes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fair enough,” she laughed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the third day, Lance begged off family dinner, taking his own meal down to the beach and building a little fire. He stared up at the stars for over an hour, unconsciously searching for a streak of light that would signal Keith entering the atmosphere- though the other boy wasn’t due to return for another three days. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance ran, worked out, danced, and spent hours in the barn, breathing in the dusty scent of the cattle and horses. He pruned the marijuana plants with his father, baked cookies with his mother and tried to avoid fighting with his sister and Lisa. Luis had finally apologized for what had happened on their first night home, but Lisa was still holding a grudge. Lance couldn’t find it in him to care. On the fifth night, Lance lay awake in bed, counting the stitches on his pillowcase by the light of the moon, wishing -for the first time since he’d become a paladin- that he was back in space, amongst the stars and the nebulas and everything that had drawn him to being a pilot in the first place. Slowly, his eyes fluttered shut, and he drifted into semi-consciousness. He only just noticed the warm weight that settled by his feet a few moments later, barely registering the fleeting warmth of someone brushing his hair out of his face and pressing a kiss to his temple. He did hear the water start running in the bathroom, though, and jolted awake. Kosmo grumbled at him irritatedly from the end of the bed, turning and settling his head away from Lance, who leapt out of bed and stumbled down the stairs, prosthetic leg still stiff from sleep. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here, bud. I’m in the bath,” Keith murmured. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I come in?” Lance asked a little breathlessly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure…” Keith answered tentatively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re back early,” Lance said, letting himself into the bathroom. Keith was already in the tub, untangling his hair from a messy braid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had some motivation to make it a quick trip,” Keith smirked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance crossed the room in one swift movement and cupped Keith’s dirty face in his hands, kissing him deeply. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance was an adorable sleeper. Keith had known this for a long time, but it still amazed him- the sweet curve of Lance’s mouth, the gentle flutter of his eyelashes. He looked so young, asleep. Keith laid a kiss on Lance’s forehead, brushing his hair away from his face, and went back down the stairs to wash the blood and dirt off before going to bed. His muscles ached and his hands were shaking from fatigue, but he was utterly filthy. He stripped off his clothes and threw them in the laundry for the next morning, climbing into the hot water of the bath and hissing as the water stung his scrapes and cuts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith?” Lance called softly from the door, voice blurry and accented with fatigue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here, bud. I’m in the bath.” Keith smiled at the sound of Lance’s voice, reaching up to try and untangle the matt of braid that Enervan had made in his hair on the first day of the mission.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I come in?” Lance almost whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith looked down at his pale legs and his hands covered in dirt and blood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re back early,” Lance mumbled as he backed into the bathroom, long legs bare and tempting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had some motivation to make it a quick trip,” Keith said, still staring appreciatively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance flushed, and crossed the room in one long step to crouch by the bath and tease Keith’s lips apart with his tongue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you miss me?” Keith teased when the younger boy pulled away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course not, Mullet,” Lance pouted, reaching for Keith’s hair and starting to unravel the tie. “This blood better not be yours,” he gasped, looking at the filth on his hands when he’d finished. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never,” Keith assured him, already missing the gentle weight and tugging of Lance’s fingers in his hair. He closed his eyes and leaned back, turning the hot water on with his toe. Lance was shuffling around behind him, stubbing his toes on the claw feet of the old bathtub and putting soap in the washing machine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sit up,” Lance ordered, and Keith groaned, too tired to open his eyes. He leaned forward obediently, expecting Lance to start massaging shampoo into his hair. He wasn’t expecting Lance’s lovely long legs to slide down the sides of the bath on either side of his hips, or to feel the Cuban man's breath warm against his spine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shush. Pass me the shampoo,” Lance ordered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The shampoo?” Keith replied incoherently, too distracted by how glorious it was to have Lance’s pretty legs under his hands again, to have his back curled safely into Lance’s chest. He managed to hand Lance the bottle without dropping it into the water, and let out an obscene moan as Lance sank his fingers into his hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh. I thought you liked what I did to you the other night but I guess I’ll have to work harder next time if </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> is how you react to getting your scalp massaged,” Lance joked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not your fault,” Keith replied, “Sex is great- sex with you is </span>
  <em>
    <span>particularly</span>
  </em>
  <span> great, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing</span>
  </em>
  <span> comes close to a scalp massage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance laughed, and Keith resisted the urge to turn around and tackle him into a bathtub make-out session. The tub was too small for that anyways. Keith was almost asleep by the time Lance was done with his hair; the taller boy had pulled him back into the curve of his chest and was tracing patterns over his chest with pruning fingers with his head buried in Keith’s collarbone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bed,” Keith yawned, struggling to stand. Lance grunted and propped him upright with a hand on his hip, and Keith was shocked at the ease in which the younger boy was displaying intimacy- given how difficult it had been to get him to trust that he could touch Keith casually like this a mere five days ago. Keith helped Lance out of the bath and before he could do anything, the taller boy had wrapped him in a towel, pushed him up the stairs, and let out the bathwater to rinse the tub himself. Keith grabbed the first tee shirt of Lance’s he could find and pulled on his cutoff sweatpants, crawling into bed blissfully. Kosmo grumbled at his feet and Keith dug his toes playfully into the wolf's side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t antagonize my son!” Lance teased, walking up the stairs with a towel around his waist and a glass of water in his hand. He looked like something Keith would like to eat- glowing pearlescent in the fading moonlight and covered in lingering water droplets. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quiznak, Lance, come </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Keith groaned, reaching for Lance with no shame for how needy he was appearing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Patience, cariño,” Lance told him, making his way over to the bed languidly. “I think you’re wearing more than enough clothing for both of us, huh, quierdo?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith felt the blood rising to his face and tucked the blanket up higher to hide it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nuh-uh,” Lance insisted, pulling the sheet down and tucking his hands under Keith’s shirt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this my old Garrison shirt?” He asked, staring at the way the fabric stretched over Keith’s biceps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you like it?” Keith retorted, smirking. “I think it fits pretty well- maybe I should just keep it. Besides,” he leaned towards Lance, pressing his lips against the shell of his ear. “If I wear it out, everyone will know who I belong to. It has your name on it, McClain.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance practically growled, and Keith bit back a laugh as the shirt was stripped from his body and Lance pressed him flat on his back, sucking bruising kisses onto his throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can’t just </span>
  <em>
    <span>say</span>
  </em>
  <span> stuff like that,” Lance croaked, rolling his hips down against Keith’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Why not? Does it make you... a little impatient?” Keith murmured, trailing his hand down the length of Lance’s torso. Suddenly, a large hand wrapped around his wrist and yanked his hand up above his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit- I’m so sorry Keith!” Lance gasped, letting go almost immediately. Keith kept his hands where they were. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you hear me complaining?” Keith breathed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith nodded, smirking as Lance carefully pinned his wrists above his head, breathing hard and blushing prettily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is ok, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Keith rolled his eyes and stretched out languidly, watching Lance’s reaction carefully. “Have I ever been shy about telling you when you’re being a dick? I’d let you know if I wasn’t enjoying something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance stared at him, a mixture of surprise and desire flickering over his face. He gathered both of Keith’s wrists into one hand, pressing them against the soft mattress, and trailed his fingers down Keith’s torso, tracing every scar slowly. Keith squirmed slightly, not sure if he was trying to get away from the tickling sensation or to move Lance’s hand a little closer to where he so desperately wanted to be touched. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance,” Keith finally whined, and Lance narrowed his eyes, a small smile dancing over his lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Begging now, Mullet? Already?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith shivered as Lance’s fingers brushed over his waistband, tugging it down only slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quiznak, Lance if you don’t fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>touch</span>
  </em>
  <span> me I’m going to-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Going to what?” Lance grinned, pressing Keith’s wrists into the bed even more firmly and settling his weight onto the tops of Keith’s thighs. “Doesn’t look like you’re in a position to really be doing anything that I don’t want you to right now,” he leaned down and bit Keith’s lower lip, hard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith stifled a whimper and forced himself to stay still. Lance didn’t need to know how much he was enjoying the heady greed in the taller boy's blue eyes- didn't need to know that he could break his hold whenever he wanted to. He was doing just fine pinned here under Lance’s calloused hands and warm gaze.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what do you want me to do then, sweetheart?” Keith breathed, appreciating the way Lance’s blush traveled from his cheeks down his body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fucking Quiznak.” Lance muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning, when Keith woke up even more sore than he had been from the mission the night before he almost (</span>
  <em>
    <span>almost</span>
  </em>
  <span>) regretted asking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shiro knew Keith and Lance were staying on Earth for awhile, and he really had been planning on calling- insisting they come and visit- but honestly, he’d been </span>
  <em>
    <span>busy</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Putting everything into motion for Iverson's retirement, preparing to become a Quiznaking </span>
  <em>
    <span>Admiral</span>
  </em>
  <span>- and planning a wedding was keeping him constantly on his feet, besides that he and Adam were house hunting and looking out for Pidge while they helped with new developments at the Garrison. When Iverson suggested that they attempt to convince ‘General McClain’ (it was so bizarre hearing him call Lance that) and Keith to stay for the one year anniversary ceremony of the end of the war and do some sort of workshop with the students the day before, Shiro finally got the chance to sit down in his office and make the goddamn phone call. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shiro! Hey- good to hear from you, buddy!” Keith’s face popped up on his comm screen and Shiro couldn’t help but grin. Someone had braided flowers into the korean boy’s long dark hair, and he was slightly sunburnt across his nose- tanned and warm everywhere else. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look well vacationed,” Shiro teased. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have to come to Cuba, Shiro! We’ll get you all summer bronzed and gorgeous in no time!” Lance called from behind Keith, who snorted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry about him, he’s been into the rum already.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rum?” Shiro laughed, “Really?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith rolled his eyes, “You wouldn’t believe the amount of booze Lance’s dad consumes- they have people over for dinner every night. It’s like my own personal hell.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You love it!” Lance yelled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get lost, Lance!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I wanna see my space dads!” Lance whined, squeezing his face into frame next to Keith. Shiro balked at the scarring on his cheeks, but was pleased to see him smiling easily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, I do need to talk to Lance,” Shiro said, “How long are you two planning on being here for?” He asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well we’re going back for Allura’s dinner the day before to catch up, I think,” Keith replied, “But we’ll make it down to visit with you and Adam and Pidge soon- if that’s ok.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s perfect, actually,” Shiro replied, flicking through the calendar on his tablet. “Iverson was hoping you two would be able to do a bit of a workshop for the students here before the anniversary- we were thinking the day before but if you guys are travelling that day we can do two days prior…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Teach? Me?” Lance gasped incredulously, ruffling Keith’s hair. “And </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mullet</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, Lance. I don’t even have the mullet anymore. And it wasn’t a mullet!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Children! Quit bickering- you’re worse than me and Adam!” Shiro grumbled distractedly, marking the date in. “So you’ll teach two days before the anniversary? And then we can all fly to Altea together- us and Pidge?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds good,” Keith nodded, and Lance shrugged amicably. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excellent! See you then- try to behave, please,” Shiro sighed, fighting a laugh as the two boys waved and grinned before the comm went dark. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Admiral Shirogane?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come in, General,” Shiro smiled, turning his chair to see Adam letting himself into the room, file of paperwork in hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have some-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t you come take a seat and we’ll look over it,” Shiro suggested, and Adam stared at him for a moment before walking over. Before he could pull a chair out from the side wall, Shiro had reached over with his mechanical arm and pulled his fiance into his lap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They finally got it together,” he sighed into the tawny skin at the back of Adams' neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Oh- Keith and Lance?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes!” Shiro tugged the file out of Adams hands and opened it, skimming over the documents inside before circling a few sections and signing it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did they tell you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I could just tell. I know them, and they were acting… differently,” Shiro said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith had a hickey, didn’t he,” Adam said wryly, and Shiro laughed delightedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith had a hickey!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance was remarkably nervous standing  just outside the back door of the Garrison’s largest lecture hall. The students inside were milling about, whispering amongst themselves. Keith squeezed his hand reassuringly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to be great, General McClain,” he whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m always great.” Lance stepped inside the door and started making his way up the steps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here comes the General- General McClain! Here comes the General!” A ripple went through the crowd, and Lance cast a glance over his shoulder, looking for Keith. A teacher he didn’t recognize (they’d introduced themselves but Lance couldn’t remember their name) addressed the school, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here’s General McClain, and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another ripple of whispers flooded the crowd, and Lance managed not to look back desperately until he’d made it to the center of the raised platform where he was supposed to deliver his ‘lesson’. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And his right hand man! Keith Kogane!” The Garrison instructor announced, and finally the students clapped, and finally Keith was back at his side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right-hand man, hey?” Keith whispered, grinning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always, Chewbacca,” Lance replied, cheerfully. Once the Garrison instructor had left the platform and gone to sit with the other instructors on the side of the auditorium, Lance took a deep breath, switched on his mic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Lance- General McClain- and this is Keith, who is- or was, quite literally my right hand man when we were fighting for Voltron,” He started, “I’m not really going to give a proper lecture, because quite frankly, I have no idea how to do that and I always found them really boring when I was here, anyways. Sorry, Shiro- sorry, Admiral Iverson,” Lance laughed. “But I am going to tell you a few stories, and a few things I’ve learned over the past five or so years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When we first joined this war, we were younger than you are now. We made every mistake- we had no idea we were making history. All we knew is that we wanted to win- we </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to win, because we wanted to return home. We couldn’t understand how little control we had over the war, the size of it, how much it would test us. We didn’t know how to deal with the fact that we had no idea who would live, and who would die, and who would tell our stories. I wish I’d known then how incredible this planet truly is, or at least I wish I had understood. You are lucky- so lucky to be here, together. When I was a cadet here, all I wanted was to rise up, to become a fighter pilot. I was just a poor kid from Cuba, it was the only way I knew to make a future for myself. I had no idea where that would lead me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith put his hand on Lance’s shoulder, taking over. They hadn’t really rehearsed this, but Lance knew he was coming dangerously close to rambling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When we first started fighting against the Galra, we were out-gunned, out-manned, out-numbered and out-planned, but we had each other, and somehow, that was enough to convince others to join our cause. The most important thing we learned- pretty much instantly- was that we had to have each other's backs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance took the lead again, explaining how their team became both their family and their entire army, how they learned to rely on the kindness and the ingenuity of even the smallest, most insignificant planets. By the time they were done, the students were laughing, asking questions, engaging in a way that Lance had only dreamed of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro took the platform, allowing Keith and Lance to take a seat beside Pidge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Make sure you all say thank you to General Lance McClain, and his right hand man, Commander Keith Kogane,” Shiro said, smiling over at the two men. “Dismissed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So who’s top and who’s bottom?” Pidge hissed into Keith’s ear as the students cleared out, stopping to say thank you or ask questions about their adventures. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pidget!” Keith gasped in horror. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith’s the bottom,” Lance whispered wickedly, and Pidge cackled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, right, </span>
  <em>
    <span>General</span>
  </em>
  <span> McClain. We both know who takes most of the orders, though,” Keith retorted under his breath, and Pidge practically shrieked with laughter as both boys glared at each other, blushing furiously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did I say about behaving, you lot?” Shiro demanded from behind them, arms crossed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, Shiro,” Pidge sing-songed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shiro!” Keith stood up, allowing the older man to pull him in for a long hug. Keith and Lance had been herded directly from their ship to the lecture hall, and they hadn’t really had a chance to say hello to anyone yet. Pidge looked over at Lance, who shrugged and gave them a one armed hug, ruffling their hair playfully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good to see you, Pidgeon.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You too, ya whipped bitch,” Pidge teased. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith’s the-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, guys, let’s go back to my place and I’ll make you kids a snack. Clearly you can’t be trusted around actual children.” Shiro rolled his eyes, slinging an arm over Keith and Lance’s shoulders. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lead on, Space dad!” Lance and Pidge chorused, and Keith and Shiro both groaned loudly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lance was overjoyed when Hunk bodily lifted him from the loading dock and into a bone crushing hug. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As nice as it was to see everyone, after a day of galavanting around Altea listening to Shiro complain about wedding plans and Pidge complain about how everyone was calling their new AI creation creepy and Hunk enthuse about alien ingredients that frankly sounded gross -not to mention Romelle trying to explain the Altean crop rotation system to Lance and Lotor attempting to make small talk- Keith was exhausted. He couldn’t wait to get out of this uncomfortable suit they’d been required to wear for the formal celebration dinner, and fall into his cushy bed in the guest rooms of the House of Commons. Coran had been regaling them with stories of the last few months on Altea for the last hour or so, all of them crammed into a tiny outdoor seating area deep in the gardens, where the lingering guests wouldn’t disturb them. Adam and Shiro were curled up on the armchair next to Keith, Lance and Pidge, and Kosmo was laying at their feet. Lotor and Coran had both commandeered armchairs, and Romelle was perched on the arm of Hunk and Shays sofa. Lance was starting to drift off next to Keith, his head drooping onto the shorter man's shoulder and his breath was drifting sweetly through the strands of hair that had escaped Keith’s ponytail. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance,” Keith whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance mumbled something incoherent and threw his arm over Keith’s waist, effectively hauling himself into his lap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Coran paused his story to laugh at them, briefly, and Keith nudged Lance, smiling apologetically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d better get the renowned General to sleep. It’s past his bedtime.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up Mullet,” Lance mumbled, but allowed Keith to half-drag, half-carry him through the garden and up the stairs to their room, the echoing voices of the others yelling their farewells following them through the branches of the saplings and floral bushes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sleep well!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodnight!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Love you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span> They were halfway up the stairs when Lance snorted and straightened up, walking up the remaining steps with a spring in his step. Keith spluttered, wondering where this sudden burst of energy had come from. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance turned around and laughed at him, and Keith shook his head, running after the taller boy as he turned down the hallway towards their rooms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance, what the fuck?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not actually that tired, I just wanted to get away from the party,” Lance told him, letting himself into Keith's room and leaping into the middle of the bed with a self-satisfied smirk. He would have looked like a small child if not for the dress shirt, tie and suspenders he was wearing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you lose your jacket?” Keith groaned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup,” Lance replied cheerfully, “I’ll lose the rest of it, too, if you ask nicely.”     </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith rolled his eyes, pulling off his shiny dress shoes and deep burgundy jacket and walking over to Lance, who was grinning wickedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look so nice though, for once,” Keith teased, leaning forward and kissing the tip of his nose. Lance growled when he pulled away, tangling his fingers in Keith’s hair and smashing their lips together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I always look nice, Mullet.” Lance was tugging on Keith's tie. “I like these pants,” he murmured into Keith’s throat, running his hand down the side of Keith’s burgundy-clad legs, “but I think I’d like them more on my floor.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>  “You’re ridiculous,” Keith scoffed, untying Lance’s own tie and sliding his suspenders off his shoulders. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re infuriating!” Lance grumbled, reaching for Keith’s belt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s why you love me,” Keith snorted, then froze, pulling away with wide eyes as he realized what he’d said. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Too soon- too wrong- this should have been a big grand gesture and he’d somehow fit it into a petty pseudo-argument and Lance wasn’t saying anything and what if he didn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>- Lance blushed furiously red, but he hooked his hands around the back of Keith’s thighs and tugged him closer. Keith’s chest tightened, and he crawled up onto the bed so he was kneeling with one leg between Lance’s, carding his fingers firmly through the other boy's hair and looking down at him fondly. Lance looked uncharacteristically shy, blushing furiously under him, but he managed to look up and meet Keith’s gaze when he replied. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith stared at him -and Quiznak, he looked so beautiful like this, with his deep blue eyes nearly eclipsed by his pupils, lips parted in surprise. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Keith asked him, leaning down so they were nose-to-nose</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do. Love you, I mean. I love you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>  Keith grinned, “I know.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance looked angry for a moment, then confused, then he yelped delightedly and threw Keith onto his back on the bed; he straddled his hips and pressing his lips to his throat, his forehead, before finally kissing him thoroughly, licking into Keith’s mouth and biting his bottom lip until Keith thought he might melt under the other boys hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you, too,” Keith whispered when Lance finally pulled back for air, and the look in the taller boy's eyes- Keith would have killed for that look. Keith </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> fought and bled and killed for the </span>
  <em>
    <span>notion</span>
  </em>
  <span> of that look. “I love you, even though you’re stupid, and annoying, and from Earth-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh- fuck you!” Lance laughed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I’ve always known that it’s ‘I say Vol, you say Tron’-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance gasped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I think about how lucky I am every single day that you blasted us into space in that fucking Lion because, Lance, I would fight that war all over again twice if it meant that I got to be with you,” Keith said earnestly, and Lance closed his eyes, eyelashes fluttering prettily over his high, golden cheekbones. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keith, I…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith smiled, happiness flooding his chest, sticky and lasting like honey. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just say ‘I know’, sharpshooter.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance choked out a laugh, pressing his lips to Keith’s again, gently this time, cupping Keith’s face delicately in his hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” he murmured. “I love you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith’s eyes fluttered open as Lance pulled back to tug off his shirt, and he gasped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lance McClain! Are you wearing your </span>
  <em>
    <span>shoes</span>
  </em>
  <span> in my </span>
  <em>
    <span>bed</span>
  </em>
  <span>!?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance’s laugh peeled around the room, and Keith couldn’t find it in himself to be that angry, just yanked off Lance’s shoes and socks and pulled him back into his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
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